DOI Heft:
No. 177 (December, 1907)
DOI Artikel:Schmidt, Anna Seaton: A note on some recent portrait busts and other work by Auguste Rodin
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20776#0214
Auguste Rodm
noble ideas of French sculp-
ture. They cannot see that
he has opened a new path,
the path that leads to the
heart of nature, the ever-
lasting source of truth, of
inspiration. By their bitter
criticism they have added
much to the difficulties of
this artist's life. But those
who mark out new paths
are always men of great
moral strength, willing to
accept the suffering which
must be their portion be-
cause of those who are to
come after, who shall reap
what they have sown.
Fortunately, Rodin is a
philosopher as well as an
artist; he realises that he
is in advance of his time,
that the world is not
yet ready for psychological
sculpture, the majority pre-
ferring the theatrical pose
and graceful drapery of
1 la douleuk
184
1 le reveil by auguste rodin
studio arrangements, whereas he gives
us human figures that personate no special
characters, that simply convey some dis-
tinct psychic emotion. " I name my
statues when they are finished," he says,
"because the public demands it, but
the names convey little of their real
meaning. Take, for example, the group
in the Luxembourg called Le Baiser.
The meaning is far more profound, more
elemental than these words imply. Love,
the union of man and woman—I have
simply striven to translate this eternal
truth. People tell me that I create 5 that
is not true. God alone creates, man but
reveals. The greatest poet, the greatest
musician, has found his poetry, his music,
in Nature. Our Gothic cathedrals, what
are they but the faithful transcription of
natural forms—the arching trees of the
primeval forest, the birds and beasts and
sea-shells? The men who gave us the
churches which are to-day the_ greatest
glory of France were passionate lovers
of Nature. I am convinced that this is
by auguste Rodin true of all great art periods. My one
noble ideas of French sculp-
ture. They cannot see that
he has opened a new path,
the path that leads to the
heart of nature, the ever-
lasting source of truth, of
inspiration. By their bitter
criticism they have added
much to the difficulties of
this artist's life. But those
who mark out new paths
are always men of great
moral strength, willing to
accept the suffering which
must be their portion be-
cause of those who are to
come after, who shall reap
what they have sown.
Fortunately, Rodin is a
philosopher as well as an
artist; he realises that he
is in advance of his time,
that the world is not
yet ready for psychological
sculpture, the majority pre-
ferring the theatrical pose
and graceful drapery of
1 la douleuk
184
1 le reveil by auguste rodin
studio arrangements, whereas he gives
us human figures that personate no special
characters, that simply convey some dis-
tinct psychic emotion. " I name my
statues when they are finished," he says,
"because the public demands it, but
the names convey little of their real
meaning. Take, for example, the group
in the Luxembourg called Le Baiser.
The meaning is far more profound, more
elemental than these words imply. Love,
the union of man and woman—I have
simply striven to translate this eternal
truth. People tell me that I create 5 that
is not true. God alone creates, man but
reveals. The greatest poet, the greatest
musician, has found his poetry, his music,
in Nature. Our Gothic cathedrals, what
are they but the faithful transcription of
natural forms—the arching trees of the
primeval forest, the birds and beasts and
sea-shells? The men who gave us the
churches which are to-day the_ greatest
glory of France were passionate lovers
of Nature. I am convinced that this is
by auguste Rodin true of all great art periods. My one