Friday, May 21, 2010

Auguste Rodin at Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University

The richness of Stanford University enables it to assemble a large collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin, the generally recognized progenitor of modern sculpture.

In the sculpture garden, I saw a large collection of his works, including the Gate to Hell:

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1770

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1771

Inside the museum, I was able to study the small version of the three figures on top of the gate and realized for the first time that the figure on the left had no right hand, despite the fact that I'd visited Rodin Museum in Paris twice.

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1789

His initially controversial Age of Bronze has always commended viewer's attention. Even a smaller version did not fail to do so:

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1793

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1814

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1795

I really loved the way Rodin tried to portrait the great writer Balzec, from comic to austere:

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1803

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1804

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1806

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1812

His smaller studies for large works are wonderful masterpieces on their own rights:

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1796

Rodin, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University _ 1801

After the museum, I went to the "temple" plaza and walked inside the group of the sad Burghers of Calais, as intended by the great artist:

The Burghers of Calais, Stanford University

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