Adam
Modeled 1881, cast c. 1924
Medium
Bronze with dark brown patina
Dimensions
198.1 × 73.7 cm (78 × 29 in.); Base: 76.2 × 73.7 cm (30 × 29 in.)
Classification
large scale
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
11320
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Auguste Rodin’s powerfully expressive figure of Adam was originally intended to be paired with a sculpture of Eve, flanking a sculptured bronze portal commissioned by the French government for the Musée de Arts Décoratifs, Paris. For this monumental undertaking, which he entitled The Gates of Hell, Rodin turned to past Italian masters. Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome (1508–12) inspired the pose of Rodin’s subject. Rodin rotated Michelangelo’s r...
About the Artist
Auguste Rodin · 1840–1917
François Auguste René Rodin (1840-1917) stands as the founder of modern sculpture, transforming the art form from academic tradition into expressive modernism. Born into a working-class Parisian family, Rodin faced early rejection, failing three times to gain admission to the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. This setback forced him to work as a craftsman for nearly two decades, though his 1875 tr...