Legends of Sculpture - Auguste Rodin

Sculpting is a three-dimensional art form that can take on a life of its own, and is one of the most expressive forms of human creativity. In the past, artisans skilled in the art of sculpture have become world famous and their legend lives on for the centuries. Michaelangelo, Phidias, and Baselitz all left their mark in art history with priceless works during the highly creative and productive Classical and Renaissance eras, both pre-cursors to modern sculpting. The progenitor of modern sculpture is generally considered by the visual arts community as the French sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Some of his famous work includes: The Age of Bronze, The Walking Man, The Gates of Hell, The Burghers of Calais, Meditation Without Arms, and The Thinker.

Although Auguste Rodin (November 12, 1840 - November 17, 1917) is considered the forefather of modern sculpture, most of his best work was widely criticized during his lifetime because it strayed from the predominant and formulaic themes of mythology and allegory. Rodin was a naturalist, he was less concerned with monumental expression than he was with character and emotion. He created models with realism, individual character and physicality accentuated by classic and romantic undertones. Rodin believed that an individual’s character is revealed by their physical features. Out of this belief, he developed the distinct talent to model a complex, turbulent, deeply pocketed surface in clay to allow every part of the body speak.

Rodin’s method defected from traditional postures, as he was fascinated with dance and spontaneous movement. He preferred to work with amateur models, street performers and dancers and allowed them to take positions without manipulation. He would begin a project by making sketches in clay that were later fine-tuned, cast in plaster, and forged into bronze or carved into marble. Rodin consistently used the method of mar-cottage, or layering, and placed many of his subjects around rough rock and surfaces to help emphasize immediacy and provide contrast.

Rodin’s most famous sculpture is a bronze and marble piece called The Thinker. The statue depicts a man in sober meditation battling with a powerful internal struggle, and often used as a symbol for philosophy. Originally named The Poet, the sculpture was part of a commission by the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. Rodin based the theme on The Divine Comedy by Dante. The Thinker was originally meant to depict Dante in front of the gates of hell, pondering his fate. It is currently held in the Musée Rodin in Paris.

Auguste Rodin is known as one of the most famous sculptors in the history of Art. He used unpopular methods to produce original and turbulent pieces that instilled his legacy. Rodin’s The Thinker is one of the most recognizable sculptures in art history. It has become a popular icon for intellectual activity and the subject for endless satirical use. Wholesales Sculptures offers affordable, life sized bronze sculptures of Rodin’s Meditation Without Arms and The Thinker for the anyone who appreciates and adores his immediate and contrasting methods. Visit www.wholesalesculptures.com for the lost-wax bronze sculptures of Rodin’s most famous piece, The Thinker.

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