Saint Jean-Baptiste
1878 - 1880
Auguste Rodin
Saint John the Baptist is preaching. With his right hand raised, he emphasizes his story. Auguste Rodin focuses on the power of the word with this sculpture. The usual attributes of the saint, the cross and the lamb, are missing. This is a choice the artist often makes: he leaves out what he considers superfluous.
Details
- Plan number: C5
- Zone: Collection pavilion
- Title: Saint Jean-Baptiste
- Creator: Auguste Rodin
- Date: 1878 - 1880
- Material: gypsum plaster
- Acquisition: loan by Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen
- Object number: MID.LB.KA.0000
This plaster model provides a beautiful insight into Rodin's creative process. It is a preliminary study for a larger-than-life bronze statue.
The saint's unusual pose and the special expression on his face are striking. This clearly shows his passion for spreading the word of Christ. Rodin focuses here on the great emotions and the fighting spirit of people.
The French impressionist artist Auguste Rodin brought a breath of fresh air to academic sculpture at the end of the 19th century. He introduced innovative practices that paved the way for modern sculpture. Rodin believes that art should be true to nature, a philosophy that determines his attitude towards models and materials.
From the same artist
Auguste Rodin
A man in a dressing gown, with a massive head and deep-set eyes, protruding chin and wild hair, is looking directly at you. It is Honoré de Balzac, one of France’s literary greats. Auguste Rodin chose to depict him not as a literary hero, but as a writer, in the dressing gown he wore when at work.
Auguste Rodin
The confident pose of this young man, hand on his head, is striking. The 22-year-old Flemish soldier August Neyt modeled for this sculpture for 18 months. He originally held a spear, an attribute later omitted by the artist. The sculptor gave this work several titles, including “The Vanquished,” “Man of the Forest,” and finally “The Bronze Age.”
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