The Rodin Warriors

“Where did I learn to understand sculpture? In the woods by looking at the trees, along roads by observing the formation of clouds, in the studio by studying the model, everywhere except in the schools.”

Auguste Rodín photographed by George Charles Beresford. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

These words were spoken by the French sculptor Auguste Rodín, often considered the father of modern sculpture and one of the most important artists since the Renaissance. That artist’s work—as well as that of his many Impressionist-era peers—are on display now at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in a can’t-miss exhibition titled True Nature: Rodín and the Age of Impressionism. Organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and encompassing more than sixty works by Rodín himself, the exhibition takes visitors through a tour through the late nineteenth century in Europe, contextualizing the sculptor’s work with additional pieces by the masters of the time including Cézanne, Degas, Monet, and Renoir.

Auguste Rodín, "Heroic Bust of Victor Hugo" (1802-1885), first modeled 1890-1897 or 1901-1902, this cast 1967 bronze on marble socle

Paul Cézanne, "Boy With a Straw Hat," 1896 oil on canvas

Edgar Degas, "Horse with Jockey," first modeled ca. 1885-1890, this example cast posthumously

It’s impossible to overstate the artistic importance of an exhibition like this—these are, after all, some of the great masters of a consequential time in art history. Particularly moving to me were the sculptures taken from Rodín’s commission The Gates of Hell, originally conceived as a pair of metal doors for the entryway to a new art museum in Paris. The museum project was canceled, taking Rodín’s commission with it, but the artist continued to work on the piece, which was inspired by Dante’s Inferno. Here we see figures in twisting, provocative poses. In fact, two of the artist’s most famous pieces—The Thinker and The Kiss—originally were conceived as part of the Gates of Hell installation and only later reimagined as individual works.

"The Gates of Hell" became a source of artistic inspiration and experimentation for Rodín after its commission was canceled, but it was never cast in bronze during the artist’s lifetime.

Moving through the exhibition, you then come across The Burghers of Calais, a replica of a public monument Rodín created for the city of Calais, France, to honor the heroism of six leaders, or burghers, of the city who surrendered themselves to the English king to secure the safety of their fellow citizens. Even cast in bronze, the pain and fear of these characters is evident, the room a deeply moving example of the ability of sculpture to evoke deep emotion. Following this is a small gallery outlining the process by which Rodín took his creations from small clay models to enormous bronze statues. It’s a fascinating look at something most of us have never considered.

Experimentation pieces for Rodín’s "The Burghers of Calais"

The piece de resistance of the exhibition, however, comes at the end, when viewers emerge into a gallery with an almost 1,900-pound bronze of the French author Honoré de Balzac, a deeply expressive bronze Rodín created as a commission from the Société des gens de lettres in 1891 and completed in 1898. It stands stark sentry over the final room of the exhibition, a center of gravity that helps contextualize everything that came before.

Auguste Rodin, "Monument to Honoré de Balzac" (detail), first modeled 1897, this cast 1967, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of the B. Gerald Cantor Art Foundation

The exhibition is up through October, so make sure you take plenty of time to go see it. It’s the kind of art experience that only comes to a city once in a generation, and we’re fortunate to have it here.

Written By

Nathan Gunter

A sixth-generation Oklahoman, Weatherford native, and Westmoore High School graduate, Nathan Gunter is the magazine's editor-in-chief. When he's not editor-in-chiefing, Nate enjoys live music, running, working out, gaming, cooking, and random road trips with no particular destination in mind. He holds degrees from Wake Forest University and the University of Oklahoma. He learned how to perform poetry from Maya Angelou; how to appreciate Italian art from Terisio Pignatti; comedy writing from Doug Marlette; how to make coconut cream pie from his great-grandma; and how not to approach farm dogs from trial and error. A seminary dropout, he lives just off Route 66 in Oklahoma City.