Auguste Rodin 1840 1917 Born in Paris 1840

Auguste Rodin 1840 - 1917 • Born in Paris 1840 • Very near-sighted • Started to draw when he was 10 • Started sculpture at age 15 • Struggled with reading and writing • Studied art at a free school for artisans and at the Louvre on his own • Became regarded as the foremost sculptor of the 19 th and early 20 th centuries

Rodin— • Began career working in “Decorative Arts” / collaborated with other sculptors. • 1875—Traveled to Italy—influenced by the Renaissance sculptors Donatello and Michelangelo • Sculpted in Marble and Bronze imbuing his work with “psychological force” • The Age of Bronze, 1877—so realistic, he was accused of making plaster casts, not sculpting. His realistic style (stressing human qualities) sparked controversy and made him famous • 1880—French Govt. commissioned him to create a sculptured bronze door for the new Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris: The Gates of Hell (Dante’s Inferno) • He created several studies, but did not complete the doors—The Thinker is most famous of these

The Thinker (1880) • Rodin made 21 studies of The Thinker—the original was 27”, the largest is 6’ 6” tall.

The Cathedral (1908) Rodin’s Funeral (1917) • First version of The Thinker is at his grave

Monument to Balzac (1884 -86) • 7 years of preparation—Rodin studied Balzac’s work and biography attempting to understand his personality. • Balzac wore the famous robe while working, but the lack of emphasis on his body puts attention on his face and the unruly hair. • Rodin attempts to convey Balzac's genius by depicting the deep-set visionary eyes. • The Government disliked this so much they wouldn’t put it on display! • Criticism centered on the fact that Rodin's treatment of a famous person did not follow the formula for aggrandizing the subject.