Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) was not only the world's greatest sculptor, known for such works as The Thinker, The Kiss, The Hand of God, and dozens of others, but also one of the most remarkable personalities of modern times: an artist who outraged contemporaries with his disturbingly unfinished monuments; a sensualist who shocked France with his scandalous relationships; and a friend to the most gifted writers and artists of his day. Beautifully written and illustrated, Rodin is the definitive biography of a man whose influence on sculpture was as profound as Michelangelo's.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Despite the rich subject matter of Rodin's life, there have been virtually no English-language biographical studies since the 1930s. Grunfeld's lively but uneven work updates information about Rodin's stormy romances, but is less thorough in studying the sculptor's relationships with influential political and literary figures, and seems to gloss over the effects of financial worries, relations with official salons, etc., on Rodin's artistic production. The book's racy who's who of fin-de-siecle French society make it a good addition for general collections; more reflective treatments will still be found in Robert Descharnes's August Rodin (Viking, 1967) and Albert Elsen's In Rodin's Studio (Cornell Univ. Pr., 1980). Paula A. Baxter, Museum of Modern Art Lib., New York
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous Biography,
By Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rodin: A Biography (Paperback)
It is hard to believe that this book did not engender more attention or acclaim. It is absolutely the best I have ever read on Rodin the man and the artist. His life and background is presented in remarkable detail and photographs of many of his most famous works are presented. His views on religion, love, sex, France, art - everything is here for the asking. His workings and interaction with the many artists are captured, and this is especially important since this was a particularly vibrant and intellectually fertile time in the history of art. His love for France and for all things French is expressed over and over. His letters give us a glimpse into the "real" man, the artist who finally married his lover toward the end of their lives. He was the man who challenged the world, leading the army of Romanticism forward, only to be called old-fashioned and out of date when he refused to change with the times. What a life and what a book!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
No stone left unturned,
By
This review is from: Rodin: A Biography (Paperback)
I think the author has done a heroic job of pulling together all the scraps of information about Rodin's life into a single tome. Rodin himself would have approved of the characterization of himself as a misunderstood genius who worked without compromise or the least hint of encouragement until he was almost 40.
But at over 600 pages in length (of which the first 80 page cover his family history and the first 35 years of his life), this is a book for the serious student or the masochist. Rodin is carefully described in context with the turn of the 20th century artist community he lived in and the rich society patrons who bought his art, the letters they wrote, the parties they attended. A story told in an enormous amount of detail with a single unwavering spotlight.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A lucid portrait of a master and his times,
By
This review is from: Rodin: A Biography (Paperback)
François-Auguste-René Rodin was regarded by many in his lifetime as the successor of Michelangelo. His career spanned a epoch scarred by the Franco-Prussian War, Commune, fall of Napoleon III, and World War I. Despite civic calamity, he thrived with luminous contemporaries like Bonnard, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Gauguin, Cézanne, Matisse, Hugo, Zola, Mirbeau, Proust, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Chabrier, Bizet, Lalo, Gounod, and Ofenbach. How these legends flourished in adversity is the great paradox of the period.
The age, celebrated by expositions and landmarks like the controversial 300m Eiffel tower, heralded innovation that broadened travel and extended publicity. Rodin was wise enough to leverage both to become an international celebrity. His century-old legacy remains fresh, vital and expressive: in many respects it's still unsurpassed. This amply illustrated text explores Rodin's provenance, training, influences, bohemian lifestyle, amorous liaisons, travels, influences, works, altier production, contemporaries, publicity, and honors in a lucid narrative of a seminal artist and his age. Highly recommended.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
