Rodin: Eros and Creativity

by Auguste Rodin, Rainer Crone (Editor), Siegfried Salzmann (Editor)

Superbly reproduced images of selected sculptures and late drawings by Rodin document his obsession with sexuality, revealing the countless ways he depicted the as a threat and challenge, but also as the source of all creative inspiration and passion. Augmenting these illustrations are essays by leading scholars exploring the ramifications of eros in Rodin's work and his influence on his contemporaries as well as on future artists. In word and image, this volume deepens our understanding of nineteenth century's premier sculptor.

Genres: Art

236 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1992

About the author

Auguste Rodin (born François-Auguste-René Rodin) was a French artist, most famous as a sculptor. He was the preeminent French sculptor of his time, and remains one of the few sculptors widely recognized outside the visual arts community.

Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past. He was schooled traditionally, took a craftsman-like approach to his work, and desired academic recognition, although he was never accepted into Paris's foremost school of art. Sculpturally, he possessed a unique ability to model a complex, turbulent, deeply pocketed surface in clay.

Many of Rodin's most notable sculptures were roundly criticized during his lifetime. They clashed with the predominant figure sculpture tradition, in which works were decorative, formulaic, or highly thematic. Rodin's most original work departed from traditional themes of mythology and allegory, modeled the human body with realism, and celebrated individual character and physicality. Rodin was sensitive to the controversy about his work, but did not change his style, and successive works brought increasing favor from the government and the artistic community.

From the unexpected realism of his first major figure—inspired by his 1875 trip to Italy—to the unconventional memorials whose commissions he later sought, Rodin's reputation grew. By 1900, he was a world-renowned artist. Wealthy private clients sought Rodin's work after his World's Fair exhibit, and he kept company with a variety of high-profile intellectuals and artists. He married his life-long companion, Rose Beuret, in the last year of both their lives. His sculpture suffered a decline in popularity after his death in 1917, but within a few decades his legacy solidified.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good to have multiple pictures of each of these sculptures, since they tell different stories from different angles. The main plates (pgs 57-145) in the center of the book are just numbered with short label. I wish the text/talk about each of these were placed sequentially in this book near the pictures, instead of having all the text in the front of the book.

The text in the early part of the book is rather hard to read. I'm not an artist, so the depth of the discussions went way over my head. Maybe Rodin really was thinking that hard and symbolically about each piece. It just sounded over-analyzed.

The later part of the book contained Rodin's "Scandalous" drawings which were fairly simplistic. This was followed by some essays, again rather difficult to read per the way they sounded over-thought.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains two intelligent essays about Rodin's life and the sophisticated sensuality of his sculpture, along with many gorgeously printed images and plates. Soon after reading this book, I visited the Met Museum in NYC, where there's a hall filled with pieces by Rodin. This book prepared me to appreciate Rodin in thrilling new ways and articulate a couple of significant ideas to my companion at the museum.