Think, think, think...
Jonathan, you did great! The answers to my little art quiz I created a few posts ago are as follows:
1) What's the title of this sculpture? The Thinker
2) Who was the artist? Auguste Rodin
3) What year was this work created? Late 1880's.
4) What medium was used to create this sculpture? Molded in clay first, then cast in bronze probably using the lost-wax method.
An interesting note for you art nerds out there...
The Thinker was commissioned to be a part of a much larger sculptural piece referencing
Dante's epic poem, The Divine Comedy. Rodin's vision was to create a doorway, which he titled, The Gates of Hell (in direct homage and contrast to the Renaissance doors sculpted by Lorenzo Ghiberti called, The Gates of Paradise), with The Thinker as the centerpiece. The work was never completed.
Rodin himself wrote about his intention:
The Thinker has a story. In the days long gone by I conceived the idea of the Gates of Hell. Before the door, seated on the rock, Dante thinking of the plan of the poem behind him... all the characters from the Divine Comedy. This project was not realized. Thin ascetic Dante in his straight robe separated from all the rest would have been without meaning. Guided by my first inspiration I conceived another thinker, a naked man, seated on a rock, his fist against his teeth, he dreams. The fertile thought slowly elaborates itself within his brain. He is no longer a dreamer, he is a creator.
(Thanks to one of my favorite artsy websites, Artcylopedia.)
Rebekah, Ellie, Anna and I ventured down to Washington DC last week and saw The Thinker for ourselves. Locally, he resides in the National Gallery of Art (one of the many places he is on display), and has quite a large family of other Rodin works to keep him company. An entire hall full of them!
Even more locally, he now resides in our home. May he inspire us to think deep thoughts and to create good art!
1) What's the title of this sculpture? The Thinker2) Who was the artist? Auguste Rodin
3) What year was this work created? Late 1880's.
4) What medium was used to create this sculpture? Molded in clay first, then cast in bronze probably using the lost-wax method.
An interesting note for you art nerds out there...
The Thinker was commissioned to be a part of a much larger sculptural piece referencing
Dante's epic poem, The Divine Comedy. Rodin's vision was to create a doorway, which he titled, The Gates of Hell (in direct homage and contrast to the Renaissance doors sculpted by Lorenzo Ghiberti called, The Gates of Paradise), with The Thinker as the centerpiece. The work was never completed.Rodin himself wrote about his intention:
The Thinker has a story. In the days long gone by I conceived the idea of the Gates of Hell. Before the door, seated on the rock, Dante thinking of the plan of the poem behind him... all the characters from the Divine Comedy. This project was not realized. Thin ascetic Dante in his straight robe separated from all the rest would have been without meaning. Guided by my first inspiration I conceived another thinker, a naked man, seated on a rock, his fist against his teeth, he dreams. The fertile thought slowly elaborates itself within his brain. He is no longer a dreamer, he is a creator.
(Thanks to one of my favorite artsy websites, Artcylopedia.)
Rebekah, Ellie, Anna and I ventured down to Washington DC last week and saw The Thinker for ourselves. Locally, he resides in the National Gallery of Art (one of the many places he is on display), and has quite a large family of other Rodin works to keep him company. An entire hall full of them!
Even more locally, he now resides in our home. May he inspire us to think deep thoughts and to create good art!
paper lantern of the day Thursday, February 16, 2006
2 Comments:
I knew the answers!
Please shower me with many artsy points.
And oh-my-gosh Rebekah looks so grown up!!!!
There is a Rodin museum is in Paris. (Le Musee Rodin)
It's one of the many I didn't get a chance to see while we were there, but it boasts a great collection and a lovely sculpture garden.
http://www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm
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