Installation photo by MCG photography
“Rodin is one of the biggest names in the history of art, and the Gibbes Museum of Art is honored to bring 14 of his bronzes to Charleston for the next year,” said Dr. H. Alexander Rich, president and CEO of the Gibbes.
Perhaps best known for his iconic The Thinker, Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) is considered the founder of modern sculpture, bringing the glory of bronze figuration into the modern age. At the peak of his career, he was regarded as the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo, transforming sculpture into an art that conveyed the vitality of the human spirit and creating his own immediately recognizable form of artistic expression. Rodin is considered as seminal to the creation of modern sculpture as Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne are to the creation of modern painting.
The exhibition, Rodin: All the Truth of Nature, will feature 14 of Rodin’s extraordinary bronze sculptures on long-term loan to the Gibbes through a partnership with the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation and the Iris Cantor Trust. From 1946 through the 1990s, the Cantors grew their collection of Rodin works into the world’s largest private collection. Their intention was to share the collection with the public, and the arrival of these bronzes in Charleston continues that mission.
“There is nothing like experiencing a Rodin up close, and this will be a rare chance for many in our community and visitors to engage intimately with Rodin’s masterful work,” Rich added.
Installation photo by MCG photography
“This exhibition and long-term loan is a coup for our city. When art lovers walk into the Gibbes, they will be greeted with celebrated examples of Rodin’s work, just as they might see in New York, London or Paris,” said Dr. Rich. The leading sculptor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Rodin revived expressive, theatrical and naturalistic styles inspired by ancient Greek bronzes.
He did not receive his first commission until age 40, in 1880, and that project became the central focus of 20 years of his life and career. While The Gates of Hell remains Rodin’s unfinished masterpiece — he never saw it cast in bronze during his lifetime — the exhibition features an early maquette of the work. In it, viewers can see the composition taking shape, with early forms of iconic sculptures such as The Thinker, The Kiss and The Three Shades.
Rodin’s genius lay in his ability to model sculpture that captured movement in the human form and to combine figures in ways that expressed emotion and provoked responses. During his lifetime and after his death, his work was exhibited around the world and became celebrated for its innovation, risk-taking and inventiveness. Rodin continues to influence artists as an example of one who embraced controversy in pursuit of his artistic vision.
“Rodin’s mastery is something viewers never forget after they come face to face with his ability to make bronze come to life. Rodin evoked emotions through sculpted human forms in ways that are second to none,” Rich added.
Rodin infused his work with personal passion, often incorporating a sexual candor that can still feel striking today. By authorizing posthumous casts of his work, he also became a pioneer for artists who create works fabricated by others, including Sol LeWitt and El Anatsui.
Installation photo by MCG photography
Another way Rodin modernized sculpture was by insisting that a part of a figure — such as a torso or a hand — could convey meaning on its own and be considered a complete work of art. He found inspiration in fragments of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture unearthed during archaeological digs in the latter half of the 19th century. In this exhibition, intentional partial figures such as Torso of the Walking Man reflect his response to these fragments and point forward to contemporary sculptures focused on individual body parts.
Another way Rodin was modern was in his approach to marketing. His goal was to create significant artwork while also achieving fame and financial success. He used the resources available to him in the art world and media to accomplish that.
He was also eager to take on the mantle of “master sculptor,” not only in his role as an instructor of artisans but also in the eyes of the public. He sought recognition similar to that of predecessors such as Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini.
“The opportunity to present Rodin’s bronze sculptures for a full year is a gift for our community and for every art lover. We want museumgoers of all ages to experience the magnitude of Rodin’s artistic prowess, and for artists in our community to be inspired by his example to create their own work,” Rich added.