Rodin's Centennial and Steinberg's Enduring Analysis Illuminate Sculptural Modernity

A permanent installation of Auguste Rodin's work, drawn mainly from the Cantor Collection, opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 16, 2017, remaining on view until January 15, 2018. Curated by Denise Allen, the display at 1000 Fifth Avenue in New York City features monumental figures like Eve and Adam, with The Thinker centrally placed. This exhibition coincides with global centennial celebrations for Rodin, who died on November 17, 1917. The article revisits Leo Steinberg's influential 1963 essay, later expanded in 1971's 'Other Criteria,' which argues Rodin's genius lies in modeling rather than carving, prefiguring modern sculpture. Steinberg highlights Rodin's focus on smaller works, fragments, and bronzes over famous marbles, noting his 'pure sculptural energy' and themes of imbalance, as seen in pieces like Icarus and the Burghers of Calais. Rodin's reuse of figures, such as the Torse d'Adèle appearing in multiple works, and his open-ended process are emphasized. The text references Rodin's early struggles, including rejections by the École des Beaux Arts and the Salon in 1865, and his collaboration with assistants like Camille Claudel. It also mentions contemporary exhibitions at the Musée Rodin and Grand Palais in Paris, and cites Ruth Butler's biography and Jean-Marie Moeglin's historical analysis of the Burghers. Steinberg's insights connect Rodin to later artists like Constantin Brancusi and theories from Walter Benjamin on replication.