Head of Balzac
modeled ca. 1892–93, cast 1980
Medium
Bronze, black marble base
Dimensions
with base: 17 1/2 × 12 1/4 × 9 1/4 in., 26 lb. (44.5 × 31.1 × 23.5 cm, 11.8 kg) without base, wt. confirmed: 12 in., 20 lb. (30.5 cm, 9.1 kg)
Classification
Sculpture-Bronze
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift from B. Gerald Cantor Collection, 1985
Accession Number
1985.111
Tags
About the Artist
Auguste Rodin|Georges Rudier · 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...