How Greece Inspired Rodin
Greece has a long and well-known history for inspiring artists and poets. The combination of beautiful light, striking nature and a welcoming atmosphere has fostered many creative minds that range from Byron to John Fowles to John Craxton to Rachel Cusk, and many more.
As a new exhibition at the British Museum in London explores, Greece also had a significant impact on the work of the renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Interestingly, Rodin found inspiration in Greece indirectly. Rather than visiting Athens, he discovered Ancient Greek sculpture in the British Museum. During his visits to London, Rodin would visit their collection, and he was reported to have been most inspired by the sculptures from the Parthenon, which he often sketched. He first visited the museum in 1881 and continued to go regularly until just before his death in 1917.
As the director of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer explains: ‘Rodin, of course, is not alone in being inspired by the Parthenon sculptures, but few responded with his passion that was to last a lifetime.’
Other Rodin sculptures explore this Ancient Greek inspiration more explicitly. His work ‘Pallas (Athena) with the Parthenon’ was based on an original sculpture he made of his friend’s wife, Mrs Russell. In this updated work,the woman is depicted as the goddess Athena with the Parthenon on top of her head. In doing so, Rodin harnesses the symbolism and mythology of ancient Greece and married it with his contemporary experience, thereby emphasising his admiration and respect for his sitter as well as for the country that inspired him.
And so the impact of Greece can be seen in Rodin’s work, with the new exhibition at the British Museum offering an exciting new lens through which to view this profound French sculptor.
The exhibition Rodin and the art of ancient Greece runs from April 26 to July 29, 2018, in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery at the British Museum. Sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
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