Greece is a city which has inspired many poets, artists, and likeminded people. The beautiful atmosphere and aura of the city have influenced many creative-minded people in the past. This includes famous names like John Fowles, Byron, Rachel Cusk, John Craxton, etc.
The renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin was also greatly influenced by the city. However, it was not a direct influence that the city had on Rodin. He saw the ancient Greek sculptures in the British Museum, and that is how he was inspired. He used to visit the collection in the British Museum during his visits to London. He also had the practice of making sketches of the sculptures that he saw in the museum. He was inspired greatly by the Parthenon sculptures. His first visit to the museum was in 1881, after which he made frequent later visits until his death in 1917. Even though many other were inspired by the sculptures in the British Museum, not all of them responded to the same with a strong passion.
The influence of the Parthenon sculptures on Rodin is reflected in many of his works. The same life and fluidity one can see in the Parthenon sculptures can be found also in the works of Rodin. The sculptor wanted his sculptures to resemble the past relics, and hence, he made them headless and limbless. The focuses of his works are on the body and the physical features. This is the main feature which defines the legacy of Rodin in the present day.
The use of marble was common in the works of Rodin. This is also due to the influence of the works of the old. His iconic work, ‘The Kiss’ is believed to have been the result of Rodin being inspired by the scene depicting two goddesses in the Parthenon. Rodin made the sculpture by carving it out of a single stone. This was the same method used by the ancient Greeks.
There are many other sculptures of Rodin which can be found to be the result of the inspiration he received from the ancient works of Greece. His work “Pallas with the Parthenon” is one of the best examples of this. He has symbolized the Greek mythology in many of his works. You can get to know more about this while you are on your Rodin museum tour. Make sure that you do not miss the Rodin museum tour during your trip to Paris.