Rodin, Rodin

This is art lesson whatever number I am on. I know I am such a bad blogger. I should really have an organized agenda. You know like the "real bloggers" who have pages dedicated to certain interests and certain interests are posted on certain days and all that jazz. What can I say, I have a hubby, kids, a house and somewhat of a life so please forgive me. My blog is like my life scatter brained, busy and disorganized.
Now for the art. A couple of weeks ago I got a chance to do some research on Rodin. Non scholarly people would pronounce his name Row-Din or ro-din, but us scholars here know that it's pronounced Row-Dan.
Rodin was alive in the 1800's during the impressionist era and as with most impressionists he also lived in France. He was a sculptor. He sculpted many human figures. Did you know the human body is the most painted, sculpted/reproduced figure in art? The body has perfect symmetry. I love how God has created us in His perfect image. Lets demonstrate symmetry for a minute o.k.? Pretend you have an imaginary line down the middle of your body from head to toe. When you cut the two halves in half what you have on the left you would also have on the right, example: left arm-right arm, left hip-right hip, left leg-right leg. Both sides are equal to the other in shape, form and balance, Ahh symmetry.
Rodin recognized this symmetry and his sculptures are beautiful. He was able to look at people and capture them perfectly in his sculpting. He would look at them in different lights even in candle light. He would have his models lay down, stand up and even turn so he could see them from the back. He was so good at it that he was accused of casting real people and not actually carving and creating the images from scratch.

Here is a piece of Rodin's art called, "The Thinker". This piece is very popular and it is cast in bronze. It is a huge piece of art as well, I have had the pleasure of touching one of these sculptures in real life. Check out how well definded this man is. Notice how he has his right arm leaning on his left leg. Go ahead give it a try, it is very unnatural and uncomfortable. The thinker was actually a piece that came from the "Gates of Hell" which was another of Rodin's pieces. The "Gates of Hell" is two massive doors that were commissioned for an art musuem that never opened. This piece is very cool as well. It depicts hell at the bottom of the doors and there are 180 small sculptures inside this huge one. The Thinker is sitting on top of the door frame in the middle looking down into hell. If you get a chance look at some pictures online of this piece. You will see people trying to climb up "out of hell" the door frames. There are people in the corners.
Fun fact of Rodin: He had a girlfriend for 53 years. They had a son together who had some kind of mental illness. Rodin married his girlfriend when he was 77 years old. She died two weeks later and he died 9 months later. I am not sure if this fact is a reflection on marriage or just a strange occurance. Actually I do know, she was sick and wanted to marry so they married.