Auguste Rodin – Artwork and Bio of French Sculptor

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

All Auguste Rodin Artwork on Artchive

Artwork Name Year Medium
Rose Beuret 1880 Plaster
Jean De Fiennes, Draped 1885-86 Bronze
The Fallen Caryatid With Urn c. 1883 Bronze
View Of Fugit Amor On The Gates Of Hell 1880-1917
Danaid 1889 marble
The Prodigal Son 1889 bronze
The Thinker 1880 - 1882 Bronze
Balzac 1897 bronze
The Burghers of Calais 1889 bronze
The Gates of Hell 1885 - 1917 Bronze
Eve c. 1881 Bronze
Call to Arms 1879 bronze
Heroic Bust of Victor Hugo 1890-97 Bronze
Paolo and Francesca c. 1887-89 Bronze
Thought (Camille Claudel) 1886-89 Marble
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