Rodin, (René François) Auguste

French sculptor. He is considered by many the greatest of his day. Rodin freed sculpture from the idealizing conventions of the time by his realistic treatment of the human form and his emphasis on style and expression over subject. Many of his figures are characterized by an unfinished look, emerging from a block of marble. His works show extraordinary technical ability and a deep understanding of human anatomy. Examples are Le Penseur/The Thinker (1904; Musée Rodin, Paris), Le Baiser/The Kiss (1886; marble version in the Louvre, Paris), and The Burghers of Calais (1884–86; copy in Embankment Gardens, Westminster, London).

Rodin failed the entrance examination for the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and so was largely self-taught. He started as a mason, began to study in museums, and in 1875 visited Italy, where he was inspired by the work of Michelangelo. Rodin was initially criticized for breaking the classic romantic tradition of human sculpture; his early statue The Age of Bronze (1877; Musée Rodin, Paris) was criticized for its total naturalism and accuracy. Although his representations of the human figure were realistic, he focused on expression and emotion rather than literal interpretations of the subject. In 1880 he began the monumental bronze Gates of Hell for the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (inspired by Ghiberti's bronze doors in Florence), a project that occupied him for many years and was unfinished at his death. Many of the figures designed for the gate became independent sculptures. During the 1890s he received two notable commissions, for statues of the writers Balzac (1893–97) and Victor Hugo (1886–90), both now in the Musée Rodin, Paris. He also produced many drawings.