Head of Balzac
Auguste Rodin
model 1897
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall: 16.5 x 20.9 x 18.1 cm (6 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 7 1/8 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Elizabeth L. Klee
Accession Number
2005.35.4
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...