Auguste Rodin was a French Sculptor born in Paris on 12 November 1840. Auguste was born into a low-income family, his father, Jean-Baptiste, was a local police station clerk and the sole breadwinner. Rodin enrolled at the French National School of Drawing and Mathematics when he was 13 and learned the basics of drawing and modeling.
Auguste could have been a better student; he tried to gain admission at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts at age 17 but failed the entrance assessment three times. Rodin then opted to earn a living creating decorative sculptures and later worked in construction under Albert Carrier-Belluse. During his spells of menial jobs, Auguste made an eye-catching sculpture he titled The Man With The Boken Nose, although it was rejected for exhibition by the Paris Salon. Auguste’s first recognition as a sculptor would come later.
In 1877, the Paris Salon accepted Auguste’s The Age of Bronze, a life-sized sculpture of a young officer. The reception to his masterpiece was controversial and earned him popularity, he started to receive commission offers, and his career blossomed. Auguste Rodin died on 17 November 1917.
What was Auguste Rodin Known For?
Auguste Rodin was best known for his sculptures. Rodin’s series of door commissions, which he titled “The Gates of Hell,” is particularly notable. Auguste’s sculpture, dubbed “The Thinker,” inspired by a rendition of a seated Dante, is an acclaimed work. Around 1900, Auguste was better known as a collector of exotic art.
Who was Auguste Rodin Influenced By?
Auguste Rodin was influenced by the works of Donatello and Michelangelo; he first encountered them during his trip to Italy in 1876. Rodin’s first teacher, Horace Lecoq de Boibaudran, influenced his becoming a sculptor.
What Art Movement was Auguste Rodin Associated With?
Auguste Rodin was associated with the Impressionism and Modern art movements. Rodin’s sculptures are sources of inspiration for the Cubism and Futurism art movements.
Auguste Rodin’s Artwork
Below are some of the artworks of Auguste Rodin.
Adam and Eve expelled from paradise
The sirens
Young girl confiding her secrets to Iris
The hand of God
Sorrow
Adam
The thinker
Bust of Rose Beuret
Gates of Hell
Torso
Head of Arthur Jerome Eddy
Final study for the monument to Balzac
St. John the Baptist
Study for Galatea
The kiss
The old courtesan
Jean d’Aire
The walking man
Fallen Caryatid carrying her stone
The kiss (painting)
Portrait of William E Henley
The head of Mrs. Russell
The age of bronze
