Musée Rodin
Encyclopedia
The Musée Rodin in Paris
, France
, is a museum that was opened in 1919 in the Hôtel Biron
and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French
sculptor
Auguste Rodin
.
While living in the Villa des Brillants (in Meudon
, suburbs of Paris), Rodin used the Hôtel Biron as his workshop from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh
and Pierre-Auguste Renoir
that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition that they turn the building into a museum dedicated to his works.
The Musée Rodin contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker
, The Kiss
and The Gates of Hell
. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden
. The museum is one of the most accessible museums in Paris. It is located near a Metro stop, Varenne
, in a central neighborhood and the entrance fee is very reasonable. The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural settings. Behind the museum building is a small lake and casual restaurant.
Additionally, the Metro stop, Varenne, features some of Rodin's sculptures on the platform. The building is served by Métro (line 13) : Varenne or Invalides, R.E.R (line C) : Invalides and Bus : 69, 82, 87, 92.
The museum has also a room dedicated to works of Camille Claudel
. Some paintings by Monet, Renoir
and Van Gogh which were in Rodin's personal collections are also presented.
Artists such as Anthony Caro
, Eugène Dodeigne
, Étienne Bossut exhibited at the museum.
Bill Viola
, Adel Abdessemed
and Mircea Cantor
have been invited to screen videos in the park for the « Nuit des musées ».
In 2010, artworks by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye
were exhibited, as well as a program of video-performances by artists such as Vito Acconci
, Sanja Iveković
, Marina Abramovic
and Mona Hatoum
.
A Henry Moore
exhibition, dedicated to his studio and small sculptures, runs there from October 15, 2010 to February 27, 2011.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, is a museum that was opened in 1919 in the Hôtel Biron
Hôtel Biron
The Hôtel Biron is an hôtel particulier in the rue de Varenne, Paris VIIème, that was built by Jacques Gabriel and his associate designer Jean Aubert, in 1728-31 Since 1919 it has housed the Musée Auguste Rodin....
and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
.
While living in the Villa des Brillants (in Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
, suburbs of Paris), Rodin used the Hôtel Biron as his workshop from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
and Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty, and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Renoir is the final representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to...
that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition that they turn the building into a museum dedicated to his works.
The Musée Rodin contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker
The Thinker
The Thinker is a bronze and marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin, whose first cast, of 1902, is now in the Musée Rodin in Paris; there are some twenty other original castings as well as various other versions, studies, and posthumous castings. It depicts a man in sober meditation battling with a...
, The Kiss
The Kiss (Rodin sculpture)
The Kiss is an 1889 marble sculpture by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Like many of Rodin's best-known individual sculptures, including The Thinker, the embracing couple depicted in the sculpture appeared originally as part of a group of reliefs decorating Rodin's monumental bronze portal The...
and The Gates of Hell
The Gates of Hell
The Gates of Hell is a monumental sculptural group work by French artist Auguste Rodin that depicts a scene from "The Inferno", the first section of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. It stands at 6 m high, 4 m wide and 1 m deep and contains 180 figures. The figures range from...
. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
. The museum is one of the most accessible museums in Paris. It is located near a Metro stop, Varenne
Varenne (Paris Metro)
Varenne is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement, named after the Rue de Varenne.The station was opened on 20 December 1923 as part of the original section of line 10 between Invalides and Croix Rouge...
, in a central neighborhood and the entrance fee is very reasonable. The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural settings. Behind the museum building is a small lake and casual restaurant.
Additionally, the Metro stop, Varenne, features some of Rodin's sculptures on the platform. The building is served by Métro (line 13) : Varenne or Invalides, R.E.R (line C) : Invalides and Bus : 69, 82, 87, 92.
The museum has also a room dedicated to works of Camille Claudel
Camille Claudel
Camille Claudel was a French sculptor and graphic artist. She was the elder sister of the poet and diplomat Paul Claudel.- Early years :...
. Some paintings by Monet, Renoir
Renoir
-People with the surname Renoir :* Pierre-Auguste Renoir , French painter* Pierre Renoir , French actor and son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir* Jean Renoir , French film director and son of Pierre-Auguste Renoir...
and Van Gogh which were in Rodin's personal collections are also presented.
Collections
The Musée Rodin collections are very diverse, as Rodin used to collect besides being an artist.Temporary exhibitions dedicated to Rodin
- La sculpture dans l’espace, Rodin, Brancusi, Giacometti (November 2005-February 2006): visitors
- Rodin et les danseuses cambodgiennes, sa dernière passion (June 2006-September 2006): visitors
- Rodin, les figures d’Eros (November 2006-March 2007): visitors
- Camille Claudel, une femme, une artiste (April 2008-July 2008): visitors
- La Passion à l’œuvre, Rodin et Freud, collectionneurs (October 2008-February 2009)
- Corps et décors. Rodin et les arts décoratifs (April 2010-August 2010)
Contemporay Art exhibitions
Recently, contemporary art exhibitions are also organized, as it was done as early as 1949 when the first Salon de la jeune sculpture took place at the Musée Rodin.Artists such as Anthony Caro
Anthony Caro
Sir Anthony Alfred Caro, OM, CBE is an English abstract sculptor whose work is characterised by assemblages of metal using 'found' industrial objects.-Background and early life:...
, Eugène Dodeigne
Eugène Dodeigne
Eugène Dodeigne is a French sculptor living and working at Bondues .-Life:He learned his trade from his father, a stonecutter, who hired him to take courses in drawing and modeling at Tourcoing and Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he experienced a revelation in the studio of Marcel Gimond...
, Étienne Bossut exhibited at the museum.
Bill Viola
Bill Viola
Bill Viola is a contemporary video artist. He is considered a leading figure in the generation of artists whose artistic expression depends upon electronic, sound, and image technology in New Media...
, Adel Abdessemed
Adel Abdessemed
Adel Abdessemed is a conceptual artist who lives and works in Paris, France. He is represented by David Zwirner, New York and Dvir Gallery, Tel Aviv....
and Mircea Cantor
Mircea Cantor
Mircea Cantor is a Romanian-born artist who follows in the tradition of Marcel Duchamp in that he employs readymade objects to elucidate the ambiguities of everyday life...
have been invited to screen videos in the park for the « Nuit des musées ».
In 2010, artworks by Belgian artist Wim Delvoye
Wim Delvoye
Wim Delvoye is a Belgian neo-conceptual artist known for his inventive and often shocking projects. Much of his work is focused on the body. He repeatedly links the attractive with the repulsive, creating work that holds within it inherent contradictions- one does not know whether to stare, be...
were exhibited, as well as a program of video-performances by artists such as Vito Acconci
Vito Acconci
Vito Hannibal Acconci is a Bronx, New York-born, Brooklyn-based designer, landscape architect, performance and installation artist.-Education:...
, Sanja Iveković
Sanja Iveković
Sanja Iveković is a Croatian photographer, sculptor and installation artist. Considered to be one of the leading artists from the former Yugoslavia, she continues to inspire many young female artists.-Biography:...
, Marina Abramovic
Marina Abramovic
Marina Abramović is a Belgrade-born New York-based Serbian performance artist who began her career in the early 1970s. Active for over three decades, she has recently begun to describe herself as the “grandmother of performance art.” Abramović's work explores the relationship between performer and...
and Mona Hatoum
Mona Hatoum
Mona Hatoum is a video artist and installation artist of Palestinian origin, who lives in London.- Lebanon :...
.
A Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
exhibition, dedicated to his studio and small sculptures, runs there from October 15, 2010 to February 27, 2011.