In the nineteenth century, sculptors rethought the representation of the body, finding new ways to express emotion.
c. 1865 - 1900
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Wilfredo Prieto on Auguste Rodin’s sculptures
"You have to dominate the material, not let the material dominate you."
Medardo Rosso, Ecce puer (Behold the Child)
How do you make a sculptural monument—in stone—that captures the transitory, the fleeting aspects of modern life?
Auguste Rodin, The Walking Man
Does a statue need to include arms or a head to be considered complete? Rodin clearly doesn’t think so.
Auguste Rodin, The Gates of Hell
This aborted commission was meant for a museum that was to be on the site of the Musée d’Orsay—where it now stands.
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Dance
The wild dancing nymphs on the exterior of the Opéra had little in common with the ballerinas performing there.
Camille Claudel, The Age of Maturity
The artist’s biography has sometimes overshadowed her radical and serious achievements as a sculptor.
Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais
When Rodin received the commission for this monument in Calais, he was expected to produce one figure—not six.
