Metropolitan Museum's Rodin Centennial Exhibition Opens, Recalling Leo Steinberg's 1960s Essay

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is presenting a centennial exhibition dedicated to Auguste Rodin. This exhibition coincides with the Museum of Modern Art's show 'The Original Copy: Photography of Sculpture, 1839 to Today', which runs through November 1. The opening has prompted a renewed appreciation for art critic Leo Steinberg's influential essay on Rodin from the 1960s. Steinberg's analysis, originally published decades ago, offers a critical framework that remains relevant for contemporary viewers engaging with Rodin's work. The concurrent exhibitions at two major New York institutions create a dialogue between historical sculpture and its photographic documentation. This moment allows for a re-examination of Rodin's legacy through both a traditional museum presentation and a medium-specific historical survey.