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   Figures of hands

Many of the hands and feet of Rodin's figures are disproportionately large (note the hands, for example, on The Kiss and The Thinker). It is said that Rodin studied not only the human figure, but also every arm, hand -- even fingers -- as individual identities. For an interesting look at the intersection of art and anatomy, see YouTube video produced by Stanford's School of Medicine (4 minutes, 30 seconds; opens in separate browser window or tab).

   The Age of Bronze

Rodin's first major work, the Age of Bronze, was created between 1875 and 1877, when Rodin was in his 30s. The figure, originally called The Vanquished, received enthusiastic initial acclaim. It was so widely admired that some critics suggested it had been cast from a live model, a method that was not considered to be true art. Rodin was known to say, “I have unbounded admiration for the nude. I worship it.”

    The Helmet Maker's Once Beautiful Wife
    Youth Triumphant

Ten years after the Age of Bronze, Rodin cast the figure of an old woman, The Helmet Maker's Once Beautiful Wife. Ten years later, he combined the figure of the old woman with that of a reclining young woman, also found in other compositions. This mysterious combination, first called Youth Triumphant, has gone by names as varied as Fate and the Convalescent and The Grandmother's Kiss. Rodin had a natural gift for combining figures, and, in this case, the question is legitimate -- "what was he thinking?"

    The American Athlete

Produced at the turn of the 20th century, this is a portrait of Samuel S. White, a member of the Princeton gymnastics team who later attended Cambridge and met Rodin in Paris. Rodin asked him to stand in several positions before suggesting that he sit comfortably. The position is similar to that of The Thinker, created in roughly the same period.

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