Louvre stages monumental Michelangelo-Rodin dialogue in Paris

The Musée du Louvre in Paris presents 'Michel-Ange Rodin. Corps vivants', a major exhibition running until July 20, 2026, that juxtaposes the works of Michelangelo and Auguste Rodin. Curated around shared themes such as the non-finito, passion for antiquity, fascination with dream and death, and the materialization of the soul, the show features sculptures and drawings from both artists. The entrance rotunda dramatically pairs Rodin's bronze 'Adam' with Michelangelo's 'Rebellious Slave' and 'Dying Slave', the latter two exceptionally loaned from the Louvre's Renaissance galleries. Rodin's early copies of Michelangelo's works at the Louvre, including drawings by Degas and Cézanne, are displayed alongside loans from the Musée Rodin. Sections explore anatomical dissection, the reinvention of bodies—contrasting Rodin's 'Grande Ombre' with a Mannerist 'Apollo'—and contemporary counterpoints with works by Giuseppe Penone, Joseph Beuys, and Jana Sterbak. The exhibition also addresses the torment of the soul through Michelangelo's 'Last Judgment' (via a 16th-century reduction by Robert Le Voyer) and Rodin's 'Gates of Hell', including a plaster third maquette. Rodin's 'Ugolin' (1882) and his 'Study of a Dressing Gown for Balzac' (1897) are featured. The show includes contemporary interventions that challenge visitors to reflect on enduring sculptural concerns.