It would be his birthday today (so I was reminded by Homepaddock), so an ideal time to consider that what Auguste Rodin could do with a mere pair of hands, other sculptors struggled to do with whole galaxies of complete human figures. When I first posted this a few years ago, I quoted now-silent Wellington blogger Oh Crikey'.
Who would've thought a mere 'hand' could convey so much anguish & torment, or tenderness & delicacy? ... In Maori terms, we could say Rodin's sculptures have a mauri, or a 'life force.' The more rational among us will scoff, ‘Oh, that's silly, inanimate objects can't possibly have a life force!’ But they're dead wrong, Rodin is alive!
Rodin: the sculptor who breathes life into mere stone. In a beautiful photo by Mark Klym.
NB: You might enjoy some rare footage of Rodin from 1915 that’s been recently uncovered. Posing for the camera more than really working, but still fascinating to see the great man in motion:
[Hat tip Sandrine L.]
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