Auguste Rodin: Images of Desire [Paperback]

Anne-Marie Bonnet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2005

With his erotic nude studies Auguste Rodin completed the artistic step towards modernity during the last two decades of his life. To a greater extent than in his sculptural œuvre he broke with art traditions in his pencil drawings, watercolors and drawings combined with scissor cuts, establishing his total independence of prevalent beauty ideals and morals. The intimate character is born out by the expeditious stroke, comparable to instantaneous snapshots, and the liberality of the motifs. Contemporaries such as Rilke and Paul Klee immediately recognized the revolutionary artistic quality of the drawings. The price Harry Graf Kessler had to pay for exhibiting them in Weimar 1906 was high, however: he was dismissed from his position as head of the Grand-Ducal museum. This book, a softcover reprint of our 1995 classic, contains 105 watercolors and scissor cuts collected from museums and private collections from all over the world, including some "scandal" drawings from Weimar.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

· Over 100 drawings and cutouts

· Rodin shows the female nude form in its beauty and simplicity

· Wonderful collection of Rodin’s late work --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) is one of France’s most revered artists. His works are distinguished by their stunning strength and realism. He was strongly influenced by the works of Michelangelo, and his pursuit of realism resulted in accusations that he had used a live model as a cast for his sculpture, The Age of Bronze. Among his most famous works are his monuments The Burghers of Calais, his statues St. John the Baptist Preaching, Eve, The Thinker, and The Kiss, and The Gates of Hell. In 1916 Rodin donated his entire estate to the French government stipulating that they establish a permanent museum dedicated to his work. The Musee Rodin is located in the Rodin’s Paris home, and the works still displayed in their original settings. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer/Mosel (September 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3829601891
• ISBN-13: 978-3829601894
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,675,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The full color reproductions are superbly presented, September 6, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Auguste Rodin: Images of Desire (Schirmer Art Books) (Hardcover)

Images Of Desire: Erotic Watercolors And Cut-Outs showcases the erotic watercolor illustrations and cut-out artwork by Auguste Rodin, the famed French artist most commonly known through his sculptures. A brief introduction by Anne-Marie Bonnet adds pensive thought on these minimalist, somewhat abstract yet undeniably sensual and sexual artworks celebrating pleasure and love. Intense imagery evokes passion out of the simplest lines. The full color reproductions are superbly presented and make Images Of Desire a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Art History and Art Appreciation reference collections.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never too much, June 19, 2007

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Auguste Rodin: Images of Desire (Paperback)

"I have been accused of thinking about women too much ... But what could be more beautiful than thinking about women?" - Auguste Rodin

Rodin is a striking example of an artist who achieved recognition in his own lifetime. That included financial independence, which gave him the freedom to explore directions for which patronage would have been hard to find. In fact, the display of some images in this series is said to have cost the director of the Grand-Ducal Museum his job.

It's easy to think of Rodin's masterworks in statuary as complete command of form. Whatever Rodin thought of them, it wasn't enough. His later life produced "one-minute drawings" like these by the thousands. He was looking for something, possibly within himself, that he never found words to articulate wholly. One proposal holds that he wanted to capture the dimension of time, the frozen moment, that eluded stone and bronze.

Perhaps he succeeded. Beyond that, he also succeeded in collecting a wonderful catalog of female figure - not just figure, but dynamic and exciting figure. The excitement is more than just intellectual. It goes well towards the carnal but stops short of vulgarity, at least to a modern eye. These models presented not just their forms but their arousal, of themselves and of their same-sex partners. Rodin's genius captured their passion and his own, stripped of any critical sentiment.

This book will work well to complement a library that already represents Rodin's better-known works. These watercolor drawings tend toward a sameness of color, contrast, and style that might wear on some viewers' patience. I guess it's not for everyone. If you've already befriended Rodin's work, though, this is an enjoyable way to deepen your relationship.

-- wiredweird