Auguste
Rodin (1840-1917)
Remembered
most by his sculpture "The Thinker"
Originally
known as "The Poet"
Permission
from Incursio, Inc (Scott Burkett) Francios
Auguste Rene Rodin (1840-1917). The French artist Auguste Rodin
had a profound influence on 20th-century sculpture. His works are distinguished
by their stunning strength and realism. Rodin refused to ignore the negative
aspects of humanity, and his works confront distress and moral weakness
as well as passion and beauty.
Francois-Auguste-Rene
Rodin was born on Nov. 12, 1840, in Paris. At the age of 14 he entered
the Petite Ecole, a school of decorative arts in Paris. He applied three
times to study at the renowned Ecole des Beaux-Arts but was rejected each
time. In 1858 he began to do decorative stonework in order to make his
living. Four years later the death of his sister Marie so traumatized Rodin
that he entered a sacred order.
The father
superior of the order recognized Rodin's talents and encouraged him to
pursue his art. In 1864 Rodin met a seamstress named Rose Beuret. She became
his life companion and was the model for many of his works. That year Rodin
submitted his "Man with a Broken Nose" to the Paris Salon.
It was rejected but later accepted under the title "Portrait of a
Roman". Rodin traveled in 1875 to Italy, where the works of Michelangelo
made a strong impression on him. The trip inspired his sculpture "The
Age of Bronze", which was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1877.
It caused a scandal because the critics could not believe that Rodin had
not used a casting of a live model in creating so realistic a work.
The controversy
brought Rodin more fame than praise might have. In 1880 he was commissioned
to create a bronze door for the future Museum of Decorative Arts. Although
the work was unfinished at the time of his death, it provided the basis
for some of Rodin's most influential and powerful work. In 1884 he was
commissioned to create a monument that became "The Burghers of Calais".
His statues "St. John the Baptist Preaching", "Eve",
"The
Age of Bronze", and "The Thinker" are world famous.
Rodin died on Nov. 17, 1917, and was buried at Meudon.
When Rodin
was 76 years old he gave the French government the entire collection of
his own works and other art objects he had acquired. They occupy the Hotel
Biron in Paris as the Musee Rodin and are still placed as Rodin set them.
Information
produced by Nicolas Pioch and Carol Gerten-Jackson
At WebMuseum
& CGFA
GALLERY
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