Auguste Rodin is one of the most famous sculptors in the world. He is usually considered as the forerunner of modern sculpture. He was the person who used a different style in sculpting. He was criticized for his works during his lifetime. However, his works became very famous and still remain to hold a prominent position in the history of sculptures. Today many of his artworks are displayed in the Rodin Museum and you can see them on your Rodin museum tour.
Here is a list of the important works of Rodin along with their backgrounds.
The Age of Bronze
A young officer served as the model for this work in bronze. This was the first widely noticed work of Rodin. However, the critics criticized it badly. It dates back to 1876 but was cast in bronze around the year 1906. The man depicted in the sculpture is a common naked man. The work was appreciated for the technical skill of Rodin, though in a negative way.
The Gates of Hell
This artwork dated to 1899 is considered as the work which took Rodin twenty years to complete it. it was planned to be made as the doors of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. However, the Museum plan was dropped and hence Rodin also delayed in completing the work. At present, it is displayed in the Rodin Museum.
The Thinker
This is one of the most popular works of Rodin. Even though he could not finish the work of The Gates of Hell during his lifetime, he found time to do other masterpieces. This one was inspired by his work on The Gates of Hell. It features a melancholic man looking down at the hellish sceneries below him. It represented Dante, the one who wrote Divine comedy.
The Kiss
This is another sculpture inspired by Divine Comedy of Dante. Rodin portrayed the noblewoman and her husband’s brother on this sculpture. The critics named it as The Kiss. The original name of the sculpture was Paolo and Francesca, as Rodin named it. Multiple versions of his works were made during his lifetime.
Burghers of Calais
Rodin was commissioned to do a work portraying the courageous leaders of the city who gave their lives to rescue the city from the siege by King Edward III. The sculpture did not meet the expectation of the people and was hence accepted half-heartedly. However, today it is among the most loved ones.
Your Rodin Museum tour can be a thrilling experience because you will get to see the kind of artworks you do not normally see elsewhere.