The Thinker, 1880 is a painting by Auguste Rodin which was uploaded on August 21st, 2020.
The Thinker, 1880
François Auguste René Rodin (1840–1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally... more
Title
The Thinker, 1880
Artist
Auguste Rodin
Medium
Painting - Oil On Canvas
Description
François Auguste René Rodin (1840–1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a unique ability to model a complex, turbulent, and deeply pocketed surface in clay. He is known for such sculptures as The Thinker, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and The Gates of Hell.
Rodin originally conceived The Thinker as a depiction of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) sitting in the upper center of a monumental sculptural doorway titled The Gates of Hell (below). Inspired by Dante’s description of a journey through the underworld in his epic poem The Divine Comedy (about 1320), The Thinker contemplates mankind’s fate while gazing at a host of damned figures writhing in anguish below. Stripped of clothing, the figure’s rippling muscles convey an inner, animating life force symbolic of mental activity or creative effort. The figure leans forward, as if ready to spring from his perch, yet seems simultaneously caught in the inaction of deep thought. Rodin produced independent versions of The Thinker, first in this original size and later in a monumental version.
Uploaded
August 21st, 2020