Bust of Balzac, on Foliated Pedestal
Rodin, Auguste
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Alternate file
Alternative Title
Half-figure Maquette of Balzac
Date
1893-1900Description
View of the half-figure maquette and top of pedestal, as assembled by Rodin; On the occasion of the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900 with the backing of his friends, Rodin had a large pavilion erected on the Place de l’Alma, where he presented a retrospective exhibition of his entire career, featuring drawings, sculptures and photographs of his works. This was the event at which he first exhibited his Gates of Hell, in a version stripped of most of its figures. The plaster sculptures literally dominated the exhibition, and Rodin readily put his unfinished and fragmentary works on show, to give visitors a clearer idea of his working method. The manner in which he arranged his works in this exhibition was both highly unconventional and inventive. He mounted several groups and figures on plaster columns, so as to set them apart and let them be seen from a fresh perspective. A maquette for the Monument to Balzac was one of the works exhibited, as was this bust. Donated to the museum by Rodin in 1916. Source: Musée Rodin [website]; http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en/ (accessed 5/13/2014)
Type of Work
maquette (sculpture)Subject
human figure, portrait, Balzac, Honoré de, 1799-1850, Exposition universelle internationale de 1900 (Paris, France), Nineteenth century
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only