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Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel
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Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel

To finish this overview of the 19th century, let’s take a look at an exceptional sculptor: Auguste Rodin.

 

It is true that he was not called on to decorate Parisian squares, but he received public commissions throughout his career!

 

Like Manet, he is often criticized for his art, which was considered too realistic and stark.  And sometimes he left his figures partly in the block of marble – how disturbing!

Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais,
1889, bronze, 7’1” x 8’4” x 5‘10”, Rodin Museum, Paris. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
Auguste Rodin, Monument to Victor Hugo,
1909, bronze, Hôtel Biron Park, Paris. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
Auguste Rodin, The Thinker,
between 1903 and 1904, bronze, 6’2” x 3’2.5” x 4’7”, Rodin Museum Garden, Paris. Photo: CC0 1.0
Auguste Rodin, Monument to Balzac,
1898, bronze, 8’10” x 3’11” x 4’2”, Rodin Museum Garden, Paris. Photo: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0
Camille Claudel, The Wave,
1897, marble-onyx and bronze, Rodin Museum, Paris

As well as his incredible talent for sculpting, Rodin had another strong quality: he chose his colleagues well. Many great sculptors worked for him, but one stands out from the rest: Camille Claudel.

 

Rodin noticed her genius and began a fruitful collaboration. During her personal career, she developed a style matching her era’s taste, with curved lines similar to natural shapes. This is Art Nouveau.

In a nutshell

Rodin, the great sculptor, known for his Realist style, surrounded himself with talented colleagues like Camille Claudel.

See also