A.

Sculptural Artworks
1. The Thinker by Auguste Rodin, 1902, Paris
History
The Thinker, French Le Penseur, sculpture of a pensive nude male by French
artist Auguste Rodin, one of his most well-known works. Many marble and bronze editions in
several sizes were executed in Rodin’s lifetime and after, but the most famous version is the 6-
foot (1.8-metre) bronze statue (commonly called a monumental) cast in 1904 that sits in the
gardens of the Rodin Museum in Paris. The large muscular figure has captivated audiences for
decades in his moment of concentrated introspection.
It was originally called The Poet and was conceived as part of The Gates of Hell, initially
a commission (1880) for a pair of bronze doors to a planned museum of decorative arts in Paris.
Rodin chose for his subject Dante’s Inferno from The Divine Comedy (c. 1308–21) and modeled
a series of small clay figures that represented some of the poem’s tormented characters. The
museum, however, was never constructed, and The Gates were never cast during Rodin’s
lifetime. Some suggestion of his vision can be found in the original plaster exhibited at the
Musée d’Orsay and in the doors that were made posthumously. In these examples, a 27.5-inch
(70-cm) Poet appears on the tympanum above the doors. The nude form is seated on a rock, his
back hunched forward, brows furrowed, chin resting on his relaxed hand, and mouth thrust into
his knuckles. Still and pensive, he observes the twisting figures of those suffering in the circles
of Hell below. Some scholars suggest that the Poet was originally meant to represent Dante, but
the muscular and bulky form contrasts with typical sculptures that depict the poet as slender and
lithe.
After the proposed museum fell through, Rodin continued to rework many of the figures
from The Gates, using some in new ways and exhibiting others individually. He eventually
renamed The Poet to The Thinker and exhibited it on its own in 1888 and then enlarged it in
bronze in the early 1900s. Enlargements of Rodin’s original clay figures were mostly executed
by his studio assistants, notably Henri Lebossé, in his workshops. To make different sized
duplicates, they used a Collas machine, which was based on a pantograph system and resembled
a lathe. The monumental Thinker exaggerated the unfinished surfaces Rodin preferred—the
sculpture’s close-cropped hair especially reveals Rodin’s rough modeling of the clay model with
its creases and indentations. Rodin showed the sculpture at the 1904 Salon, an annual exhibition
of French art, where The Thinker’s larger-than-life size and isolation from The Gates yielded
greater heed than his smaller counterpart. Following a public petition, the French government
purchased the sculpture and installed it outside the Panthéon in 1906 as a gift to the city of Paris.
It was moved to the gardens of the Rodin Museum in 1922.

Themes
The contemplative look of The Thinker gives this sculpture a feeling of calm and yet this piece is
by no means a frivolous or relaxed piece. The Thinker conjures up images of intelligence and deep
thought, themes that are universal in their appeal. Unlike some of Rodin's more complex or abstract
works The Thinker is relatively simple in its design and this may go some way to explain its popularity.
Moreover, Auguste Rodin created The Thinker in a way that mirrors the heroes of Michelangelo.
The nude figure is muscular, taunt, and valiant. This demonstrates to the viewer the high regard with
which Rodin held Dante and creative thinkers in general.

The seating of the figure is also interesting as it immediately invokes the contemplative
mood of this piece that would have been hard to create were the man stood up or looking out into
the distance. The hunched torso is simple but adds to the sense of power that is apparent but by
no means threatening. Rodin’s brilliance at representing the character and feeling of his sitters is
beautifully displayed here.
Throughout history, art historians have interpreted Rodin’s The Thinker in a variety of
ways. It was initially assumed that the figure represents Dante, but it later acquired a more
universal meaning. Rodin himself best described The Thinker – “what makes my Thinker think
is that he thinks not only with his brain, with his knitted brow, his distended nostrils and
compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back, and legs, with his clenched fist and
gripping toes.” Changing its meaning with times, one may wonder what interpretation the
present moment would incur. A universal depiction of mental duress and contemplation, and one
of the most recognizable sculptures of all times, The Thinker embodies both “dream and action”
and stands for individual struggles that may gain a collective significance.
Overall, The Thinker’s theme is complicated, but it mostly reflects on the human
condition, specifically the power to think, reason, and create.

Significance
Rodin’s sculpture, The Thinker, is a highly realistic, emotive, and psychologically
expressive piece that defied traditional forms and conventions by focusing on the individual,
paving the way for the development of contemporary sculpture.
It is regarded as an important work in the history of modern sculpture since it was one of
the first sculptures to move away from traditional forms and norms. It aided in the development
of modern sculpture, and its impact can be seen in the work of many subsequent artists.
Moreover, The Thinker is a work of art that is timeless. It’s form, symbolism, and
message remain as important now as they did over a century ago.
Because of its profound symbolism, flawless execution, recognizability, historical
significance, and timelessness, Rodin’s The Thinker has become an iconic work of modern
sculpture. Also, his groundbreaking approach to sculpture, which included the use of expressive
forms, the fragment, bronze, and a stress on the creative process, had a significant impact on the
creation of modern art and continues to inspire contemporary artists today.
 Overall, The Thinker by Rodin has had a tremendous impact on our understanding and
enjoyment of modern sculpture. The sculpture is regarded as a modern art masterpiece, and its
impact can be seen in the works of many future artists.

References:
Anapur, E. (2022). Everything You Need to Know About the Thinker, Rodin’s Best-Known
Monumental Work. Retrieved from https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/rodin-the-thinker.
Zelazko, A. (2023). The Thinker. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Thinker-
sculpture-by-Rodin.
https://artabys.com/uncovering-the-deeper-meaning-of-auguste-rodins-thinker/#:~:text=The
%20Thinker%20at%20the%20Metropolitan,emotions%20and%20ideas%20via%20art.