Musée Rodin museum was established in 1919 to showcase the artwork of Auguste Rodin, a French sculptor. This building is located in rue de Varenne, Paris. The building structure of the Rodin Museum is an 18th century mansion which was once the workshop of the great sculptor Rodin when it was known as the Hôtel Biron. This was where Rodin worked and eventually lived. The museum can be found next to the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, which is known as the Invalides.
Auguste Rodin
Rodin was a beloved French artist, and one of the most preeminent sculptors during his time. He was born during the year 1840 and passed away in 1917, two years before the museum opened. Rodin is named the father of modern sculptors because his work was often very realistic. His predecessors’ work were usually based on allegory and mythology, which was very unlike his style. Rodin more than a sculptor, although this was the medium he was most known for. He also had a number of sketches and paintings which are quite magnificent.
Early History
The mansion, which is now the Rodin Museum, was originally built for a well-known wig maker in Paris. The land had also belonged to the Catholic church for some time and eventually became the property of the government. The artist would work in the Hôtel Biron, using it as his workshop when he lived in Villa des Brillants at Meudon. The artist later decided to donate his works to the government, along with some paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired. His condition was for the building of Hôtel Biron to be turned into a museum where his sculptures, paintings and other works were to be displayed.
Artwork
The Rodin Museum has a total of about 6,600 sculptures which are shared between two locations. One location is Rodin’s home, Villa des Brillants, in Meudon and the other is the Paris museum which was once the Hôtel Biron. As soon as you enter the grounds of the museum you will notice The Thinker, Rodin’s most famous work, sitting on his pedestal looking over the garden. The Kiss and The Gates of Hell are also works of Rodin that one will find in the museum.
Exhibits
This museum is one of the most accessible venues in Paris and is located near the Metro stop Varenne. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays all year round. Visitors can enter the grounds as well as the building. The museum has been used for numerous temporary exhibits, some having tens of thousands of visitors. The latest art display was during the year 2010, called Corps et décors: Rodin et les arts décoratifs which had works dedicated to Rodin.
