Auguste Rodin in Bronze Shop

François Auguste René Rodin was a famous French graphic designer and a well known sculptor, who was born on November 12, 1840 in Paris, France. He really took part in inducing the period of Modernism and the period of modern sculpting with his artwork.

Rodin was born as the son of a very conservative family. When Auguste Rodin reached the age of thirteen he became a student of the “École Spéciale de Dessin et de Mathématiques”. In 1854 he changed the school and attended the “École des Arts Décoratifs” until 1862. He tried several times to attend the “Ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris”, but failed every time.

The day his sister died he became a member of the order of Saint-Sacrement. Later, in 1864, be become a student of Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (*June 12, 1824; June 4, †1887) but they got departed because of a clash of opinion. But before the clash Rodin followed his master Carrier-Belleuse to Brussels, where he also got first paid contract work, for which he gained recognition.

For finding the famous “Secret of Michelangelo” he travelled to Italy in 1875/76 and returned to France in 1877.

Back in France he started to study the secrets of the Gothic cathedrals in France. During 1879 and 1882 Rodin worked at a porcelain factory in Sèvres. The next year he met Camille Claudel, who was first one of his students and later his sweetheart; they separated in 1893. In 1894 he settled down in Meudon, where he was surrounded by young artists and authors. In 1900 some of his artwork was shown at the World Exhibition in Paris, France at “Pavillion Rodin”. 1904 he met Gwen John, a female painter from Wales, who was first his model and later his new sweetheart.

During the years 1905 and 1906 the poet Rainer Maria Rilke (* December 4, 1875; † December 29, 1926) was working as private secretary for the sculptor. In 1907 Rodin rented another studio where nowadays part of the descendant’s estate is shown; the formal studio is nowadays known as the Musée Rodin. At the age of 76 Auguste Rodin married his common-law wife Rose Beuret. Sadly Beuret died short time after the wedding because of pneumonia. The great sculptor and widower Rodin died the same year on November 17, 1917 in Meudon, France. The “Gate’s of Hell” is mentioned as his best known artwork.

Even the gate never got executed by him, it was posthumous executed. But Rodin separated many sculptures of the “Gate’s of Hell”, like his famous sculptures “The Kiss” and “The Thinker”.