As we close out our week of looking at all things French in celebration of Bastille Day and French independence, I want to focus today on one of the greatest French artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Rodin was taught in the traditional manner of sculpting but in the end his work was anything but traditional, he shied away from the traditional sculpture theme of mythology and instead went for realism in sculpting the human body. By the time he reached his early 60’s Rodin’s reputation had grown beyond the borders of France, he was a world famous artist. To this day Auguste Rodin is one of those artists that most people recognize his work before being told who the sculptor is.
On our trip to Paris we visited the home of Rodin, which is now the Musée Rodin, on our last day in the City of Light. It was really amazing walking the stairs of his home and entering the rooms. The home/museum is set up with Rodin’s sculptures in rooms throughout the house.
Bust of George Bernard Shaw, 1906
The Burghers of Calais, 1885
Girl in a hat
In addition to Rodin’s sculptures there are paintings hanging in the home that were gifts to him from artists such as Van Gogh and Monet.
Belle-Ile by Claude Monet, 1886
Nude in the Sunlight by Auguste Renoir, 1880
The Blue Train by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888
The gardens surrounding Rodin’s home are equally as gorgeous as the house. More of Rodin’s works are scattered throughout the gardens, allowing you to get up close and personal with the work of a creative genius.
Perhaps Rodin’s most famous work, The Thinker
View from the garden of The Thinker with the Eiffel Tower in the background
Rodin’s home as seen from the garden
The next time you are in or if it’s your first trip to Paris, make a point of visiting the Musée Rodin, you won’t regret it.
Image of Auguste Rodin courtesy of artistquoteoftheday.wordpress.com
All other photos in this post are my own
