Customer Reviews

Rodin: The Hands of Genius

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I have dozens of books on Rodin and this is one of my favorites. Great, though small, photographs, concise text and even a nifty section in the back of the book with copies of letters to Rodin as well as a thoughtful explanation of the bronze casting and transfer to marble processes. It's inexpensive and compact as well. Excellent!

Although largely biographical, it covers most of his important pieces and their impact on his life and the art of that era. But, what I love about the book are the beautifully written prose of (the poet) Rainer Maria Rilke and his commentary about particular pieces, that can't be found in print elsewhere. Particularly striking is Rilke's commentary on Rodin's The Burghers of Calais in the first several pages, which gives a dynamic piece its true emotional content. This is what makes this small book unique. Coffee table sized books on Rodin will give more satisfying visual reproduction of Rodin's works and probably provide more critical commentary on the meaning of individual works, but this small book does have rather unusual content. It has sections in the back on the lost wax technique and excerpts of letters and interesting photographs of Rodin at work in his studio and imposing his enormous ego over the works that made him one of the most important sculptors since antiquity.

A very interesting biography on rodins work and his personel life and how this, through the path of time reflected in his work. Although laking in criticle views and historical context of what his influenses were (apart from that of Michelangelo)it did mention the possible influence that Camille Claudel had on him.