be particularly noted, on account of their technical understanding;
Léon Maillard's volume is a sincere, well-informed, well-illustrated
book, produced by a man who comprehends. The book by Mlle. Judith
Cladel, daughter of the distinguished novelist, is an originally
conceived volume, the only one that relates certain conversations, and
attempts, with charming acuteness, to present Rodin in his private
character. It is a work that deserves to be much better known and
appreciated, and of which Rodin's first panegyrists, jealous of being
the only "inventors" of the artist, have been very careful not to
speak. The article by the graceful painter, Henri Duhem, is likewise
excellent; and I consider Mr. MacColl's very remarkable, on account of
its elevation and precision of judgment. The others have such value
as belongs to admiring articles written hurriedly in newspapers: they
express sympathetic feelings, or comment in a poetical way upon the
subjects, but their critical value is négligeable, and there is nothing
to be quoted from them for the information of my readers. The _Balzac_
gave rise to a shoal of newspaper articles. Georges, Rodenbach, and
France, on that occasion, said the acute and witty thing's about
Rodin that they say about all manifestations of thought, and M.
Mirbeau made Rodin the theme of some of those polemical variations,
conjoining hyperbolical praise with abuse of his adversaries, which
he is accustomed to offer as art-criticisms, and which have gained
him a reputation of a certain kind. There is nothing to note in these
pamphlets mixed with eulogistic effusions, the whole of which do not
contain the substance of twenty lines by Henley or of Eugène Carrière's
admirable Preface, which I am desirous of reproducing here because it
is a masterpiece of synthetic divination.[1]
[1] Preface to the Catalogue of the Rodin exhibition in the Pavillon
de l'Alma, 1900. (The work mentioned above; other prefaces by Claude
Monet, A. Besnard, and J. P. Laurens.)
"THE ART OF RODIN
"Rodin's art comes from the earth and returns to it, like those giant
blocks--rocks or dolmens--which mark deserts, and in the heroic
grandeur of which man recognises himself.
"The transmission of thought by art, like the transmission of life, is
the work of passion and of love.
"Passion, whose obedient servant Rodin is, makes him discover the laws
that serve to express it; she it is that gives him the sense of volumes
and proportions, the choice of the expressive prominence.
"Thus the earth projects external apparent forms, images, and statues
that fill us with a sense of its internal life.
"These terrestrial forms were the real guides of Rodin. They have set
him free from scholastic traditions, in them he found his being and the
creative instinct of men whom humanity celebrates.
"Trees and plants revealed to him their likeness to those fair women,
with sleek limbs rising, like delicate columns, to the moving torso and
swelling breast, above which the head hangs heavily in the company of a
strong and supple neck, even as a fine fruit full of savour weighs down
its branch.
"The massive brow overshadows the eyes, and the cheek brings the lip
softly to the lover's entreaty.
"Forms seek and meet in voluptuous desires of violence and of
resignation, rebellious and obedient to laws from which nothing
escapes; everywhere conscious logic triumphs.
"The generalising spirit of Rodin has imposed solitude upon him. It
has not been his lot to work upon the cathedral that is not, but his
desire of humanity links him to the eternal forms of nature."
After such a passage, in which every word is significant and eloquent,
and is a great artist's reflection, everything seems pale. I will not,
however, confine myself to a mere dry mention of the essay by Vittorio
Pica, the great Italian critic, who generously arranged for Rodin's
participation in the Venetian Exhibition (Gallery of Modern Art, 1897),
and I should have liked to quote Anatole France's fine article, and
some assertions of Mr. MacColl's, who very logically recalls to our
memory the sculptor Auguste Préault, who is too much forgotten, and
who was, indeed, a sort of imperfect precursor of Rodin. I must at
least transcribe a few lines from W. E. Henley, who was, from the very
beginning, a clear-sighted admirer of Rodin, and who spoke of him with
eloquence and passion:--
"M. Dalou ... has declared that when the century goes out it will
remember the aforesaid doors" (i.e. _The Gate of Hell_) "as its heroic
achievement in sculpture. And if that be true--as I believe it to be
true--then where, between himself and Michael Angelo, is there so
lofty a head as Rodin's?... His busts alone were enough to place him
in the future, the style of them is so complete, the treatment so
large and so distinguished, the effect so personal, yet so absolute in
art.... Here, if you will, are a thousand hints of the possibilities of
human passion: from Paolo and Francesca melting into each other:
"'La bocca mi bacio tutta tremante'
as no man and woman have done in sculpture since sculpture began....
Here is sculpture in its essence.... You may read into it as much
literature as you please, or as you can; but the interpolation is
not Rodin's, but your own.... It is not literature in relief, nor
literature in the round; it is sculpture pure and simple.... Passion is
with him wholly a matter of form and surface and line, and exists not
apart from these.... He is our Michael Angelo; and if he had not been
that, he might have been our Donatello. And with Phidias and Lysippus
all these some-and-twenty centuries afar, what more is left to say of
the man of genius whose art is theirs?"
We see that Henley's admiration returns to the comparison of Michael
Angelo and Rodin. I persist in thinking that the resemblance rather
lies in moral identity, in conception than in technicalities. The
muscular enlargement of the Italian hero is not Rodin's amplification
nor his expressiveness, _which is altogether nervous._ It is none the
less true that these two men are the only ones who have imagined and
realised a sculpturesque conception of so vast a reach. Not even Puget
and Rude, who came between them, ventured such wholes as _The Tomb of
the Medici_ or _The Gate of Hell._
MUSEUMS
Rodin has in the Luxembourg Museum (Paris) the following works:--
_The Age of Brass,_ originally placed in the Luxembourg Gardens near
the School of Mines.
_The Danaid_ (marble).
_Thought_ (marble).
_St. John the Baptist Preaching_ (bronze).
_The Fair Helmet-maker_ (bronze).
Bust of _Jean Paul Laurens_ (bronze).
_The Kiss_ (marble).
Bust of _Mme. V._ (marble).
At the Petit Palais (Ville de Paris), one work.
At Beziers, Cognac, Dijon, Douai, Lille, and Lyons, several works.
At Brussels, one work.
At Copenhagen, several works.
At New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, works. At Helsingfors,
one work.
At Rotterdam, one work.
At Geneva (Rath Museum), three works.
At Venice, Christiania, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Düsseldorf, Munich,
Weimar, Vienna, Prague (town hall), one work in each town.
At Hamburg, three works.
At Hagen, three works.
At Berlin (new gallery of Charlottenburg), five works.
At Crefeld, two works.
At Buda-Pest, five works.
In London (Victoria and Albert Museum), two works; (British Museum),
one work.
At Glasgow, one work.
Museum of Marseilles, _The Inner Voice_ (clay).
The new works in these various museums are originals or casts.
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
M. Vever (_Eve,_ in marble).
M. Pontremoli (the _National Defence._)
M. Antony Roux (_The Kiss_).
M. Roger Marx (bust, _The Young Mother_).
M. Blanc (_The Eternal Idol._)
M. Desmarais (the _Idyll._)
Mme. Durand (_Thought_, in marble, given to the Luxembourg).
M. Peytel (various groups).
Mme. Russell (_Minerva._)
M. Fenaille (_The Spring, Bust of Mme. F., The Poet and the Life of
Contemplation,_ a twisted column with figures, surmounted by a mask).
Baron Vitta (high-reliefs in stone).
The Marquise de Carcano (_Head of St. John beheaded,_ marble).
This, of course, is a very cursory list, and includes only collections
in Paris.
I must add separately to the works published about Rodin those for
which I am responsible: (1) a study, called "The Art of M. Rodin,"
_Revue des Revues,_ 15th June, 1898; this has been approved by the
artist, and very frequently reproduced. (2) A lecture delivered on
the 31st of July, 1900, at the Rodin exhibition, and published by
_La Plume_, with four unpublished drawings. (3) An essay upon the
surroundings, personality, and influence of Rodin, which appeared in
the _Revue Universelle_ in 1901, and has likewise been reprinted,
particularly in the _Maîtres Artistes_ (special number, 15th October,
1903).
The high price of the work published by Messrs. Goupil (_A Hundred
and Fort-two Drawings by Rodin_) prevents that fine volume from being
accessible to the public. The amateur photographer Druet has taken
photographs of all Rodin's work, which are rather misty, but which
render admirably the caressing touch of light on the main planes, and
which in a measure reproduce the artistic atmosphere of the statues.
Messrs. Haweis and Coles have likewise taken some beautiful and curious
proofs. More classic, but also more definite, are the fine photographs
which the art publisher Buloz has recently taken, and which have been
employed to illustrate this volume.
PORTRAITS
There is a remarkable portrait of Rodin by Mr. John Sargent (dating
from about twenty years ago). Another, by M. Alphonse Legros (a
profile), is more of a fancy head, and wears a sort of tiara. A more
recent portrait has been produced by Mr. Alexander. There is a very
forcible bust by Mile. Camille Claudel, as well as a bust by J.
Desbois, a lithograph by Eugène Carrière, and some amusing studio
sketches by Mile. Cladel. An interesting lithograph of "Rodin in his
Studio," by W. Rothenstein, appeared in the _Artist-Engraver,_ April,
1904.
A curious photograph, taken by M. Steichen; a poster for the Rodin
exhibition, containing a portrait, and drawn by Carrière; and some
excellent photographs taken at Prague (of which the one here reproduced
is astonishingly faithful) complete this list of likenesses.
INDEX
_Achilles, The Education of_
_Adam_ (destroyed)
_Adonis, The Death of_
_Age of Brass, The_
Antiope (of Correggio), The
Antique, The, influence of, on Rodin
Rodin's analysis of
its right use
its truth and beauty
Aphrodite (by Lucien Schnegg)
_Apollo,_ the two reliefs
Aube
_Autumn_ (stone)
_Avarice and Lewdness_
_Balzac, Statue of_
Barrias; his monument to Hugo
Bartholomé
Bartlett
Barye
Bassier, Jean
_Bastien-Lepage, Statue of_
Baudelaire
Beauvais
_Becque, Henry, Bust of_
dry-point portraits of
_Bellona_
_Benedictions, The_
Bergerat, M., Rodin's drawings for his book
Besnard, Mme.
Boisbaudron, Lecoq de
Boucher, the sculptor
Bourdelle, Emile
_Broken Nose, The Man with the_
_Brother and Sister_
Brussels
_Burghers of Calais, The_
Burgundian sculptors, 38
Busts, Rodin's portrait, 17, 18, 21, 29, 31, 33, 84
Carcano, Marchioness of
Carpeaux
Carrier-Belleuse
Carrière, Eugène
his opinion of Rodin's art
_Caryatid, The_
Celtic genius, The
Chaplin
Chappe, A statue of
Chapu
Charpentier, Alexandre
Chartres, The cathedral of
_Christ and the Magdalen_
_Christian Martyr, The_
Cladel, Mlle.
Classicism, Rodin's
Clodion
Clot, lithographer
_Conqueror, A, holding a Statue of Victory_
Corneille
Correggio
Costume in sculpture, The question of
Couston
Coysevox
_Crouching Man, The_
Dalou; Rodin's bust of
Dampt, Jean
_Danaid, The_
Dante
David of Angers
Devillez
_Day_
Delacroix
Delaplanche
Desbois
Donatello
Drawings and sketches, Rodin's
_Dream-Group_
Dry-points, Rodin's
Dubois, Paul
Duhem, Henri
Dujalbert
Dutch painting
Egyptian sculpture
Eiffel Tower
Emerson quoted
Erotic subjects, Rodin's treatment of
Etchings, Rodin's
_Eternal Idol, The_
_Eve_
Exhibited works
Exhibition with Claude Monet, the
Fagel
Falconet
Falguière
his "Balzac"
Rodin's bust of
_Faun and Nymph
Fauns and Bacchantes_
_Fenaille, Bust of Mme._
Fenaille, M.; his edition of
Rodin's drawings
_Fiennes, Jean de,_
Finish, False notions of
Flemish primitives
Fleurs du Mal, Baudelaire's
Rodin's illustrations to
Florence Baptistery Gates, as model of _The Gate of Hell_
France, Anatole
_Franck, Medallion of Cæsar_
Frémiet
Fuller, Loïe
_Galatea_
Gallé, Emile
Gallimard, M.
Gardet
_Gate of Hell, The_
_Genius of War, The_
Gluck, 105
Gothic sculptures, Rodin's study of
Goujon
Greek sculpture
Guillaume
_Hand of God, The_
_Hecuba_
_Helmet-maker, The Fair_
Henley, W. E.
his opinion of Rodin's art
Hokusai
Houdon
_Hugo, Victor, Bust of_
dry-point portraits of
the _Monument to_
_Icarus_
_Illusion, the Daughter of Icarus_
_Inferno,_ Dante's
Inspiration
_Iris_
Italy, Rodin's travels in
Japanese bronzes and prints, Rodin's admiration of
Jasmin, Clément
Joan of Arc, Rude's
_Kiss, The_
_Labour, Monument to_
Lamartine
_Laurens, Jean Paul, Bust of_
Lavoisier, A statue of
Lefèvre, Camille
Legros, Alphonse; bust of
_Lorraine, Claude, The Monument to_
Louvre, the
_Love and Psyche_
_Lovers, Groups of_
Luxembourg, The
_Lynch, Statue of_
MacColl, D. S.
_Magdalen, The_
_Mahomet_ (drawing)
Mallarmé, Stéphane
Manet
_Man Walking_
_Man with the Broken Nose, The_ (clay head)
(marble)
Marseillaise, Rude's
Marx, Roger
bust of
_Meditation_
Meudon, Rodin's house and studio at
Michael Angelo
_Minerva_ (helmeted bust)
(marble and silver)
Minne, George
Mirbeau, Octave
bust of
medallion of
Rodin's drawings for his books
Monet, Claude
_Monument to the Defenders of the Nation_
Morbidezza
_Mother, The Young_
_Muse of Anger_
_Muse of the Inner Voice_
Museums
Nancy
Naples Museum
Napoleon Awakening to Immortality,
Rude's
Neo-Greek School, Errors and defects of
_Nereids, The_
Niederhausern-Rodo
_Night,_
Nude, The
_Nymph, A,_
_Orpheus and Eurydice_
Paintings, Rodin's
Pajou
Pantheon, The
_Perseus and the Gorgon_
Pica, Vittorio
Pigalle
Pilon, Germain
Poe
_Poet and the Life of Contemplation, The_
_Poets and Muses_
Préault, Auguste
Private Collections
_Proust, Antonin, Bust of_
dry-point of
_Psyche_
Puech, Denys
Puget
Puvis de Chavannes; bust of
monument to
_Pygmalion_
Raphael
Redon, Odilon
Rembrandt
Renascence, Rodin's admiration for the, 63-5
_Rimini, Paolo and Francesca da_
Rivière, Théodore
_Rochefort, Bust of_
Roche, Pierre, in
Rodin, Auguste, birth, parentage, and schooling
early art-training
under Barye
works for ornament-maker
in Carrier-Belleuse's studio
early works in sculpture
goes to Brussels; work there
friendship with Legros
takes painting lessons from Lecoq de Boisbaudron
accepted at Salon
accused of casting from life
his first sale
cleared of accusations
sudden emergence from obscurity
slow development
attitude to academic art
his originality and power noticed
studios granted him by Government
works at Sèvres
his stay in Brussels a formative time
deeply impressed by Dante and Baudelaire (and see under these names)
monument to Hugo described
impatience of officialism
_Gate of Hell_ described
exhibition with Claude Monet in 1889
monument to Claude Lorraine described
_Burghers of Calais_ described
friendship with M. Fenaille
the _Balzac_ and the controversy it excited
visits to Italy; articles
in the _Musée_ quoted at length
at the Paris Exhibition of 1900
visit to Prague, 84; welcomed in London
elected President of the International Society
honours
personal appearance
portraits of him
private life and home
house and studios
tastes
travels
as a talker
social opinions
influence
friends and pupils
characteristics of his art
artistic descent and affinities
place in the French school
lost works
paintings
dry-points
drawings and treatment of voluptuous subjects
photographs of his works
essentially a poet; as thinker
classicism, his
his symbolism
his composition
his conception of his art analysed
fondness for small groups
his treatment of costume
his treatment of flesh
his principles of portraiture
his endeavour to give atmosphere
his works treated to be viewed from all sides
his modelling
his study and power of representing movement
dynamic character of his art
his synthetic power
his veracity
his favourite type of woman, 42;
influence and value of the antique
_Ronde, The_ (dry-point)
Rops
Rosso
Rousseau
Rubens
Rude
_St. John Baptist_
_St. John Baptist_ (torso)
_St. John, Head of the Beheaded_ (marble)
Saint Marceaux
_St. Pierre, Eustacede_
Salon, the
_Sappho_
Sargent
_Sarmiento, Monument to President_
Schnegg, Gaston and Lucien
_Séverine, Bust of Madame_
Sèvres
_Shades, The_
Société des Gens de Lettres
_Spring, Eternal_
_Spring_
_Summer_
Tanagra figures
_Thinker, The_
Thomas
_Thought,_
_Torso_ (nude female bronze)
Turquet
_Ugolino_
(drawing)
Values in painting and sculpture
Van der Meer
Van Rasbourg
_Venus and Adonis_
_Vicunha, Monument to the President_
Villon
Wagner, 119, 120
Watteau, 81
_Wave, The_
Whistler
_Wissant, Jacques and Pierre de_
_Woman, Bust of_
_Woman, Bust of a Young_
_Woman, Bust of a Young_ (silver)
_Women and Children_
_Women Bathing_
_Women Damned_