The Thinker

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)

The Thinker by Rodin is undoubtedly one of the crowning glories of Rodin's art. It was not created as an isolated figure but as part of the monument known as The Gates of Hell which the State ordered from Rodin in 1880 for the future Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, a work which was only cast in bronze after his death.

The influence of Italian Renaissance sculpture, particularly that of Michelangelo, is obvious in this figure which also owes something to certain 19th century masterpieces such as Ugolin by Carpeaux, of which Auguste Rodin owned a copy. The statue's powerful anatomy reflects such an intense inner concentration that the work has become a universal symbol of human thought.

Each reproduction requires great expertise   and draws on the skills of the Rodin Museum's teams and craftsmen. It is from the official moulds from the museum's collections that the most accurate resin reproductions are made. They are then hand-patinated to give it the appearance of bronze, plaster or marble.

Finally, they are validated and checked by the Musée Rodin’s curators to ensure that they comply with moral rights.

Reproductions come with an explanatory note about the history of the work.

The seal and the mention “Reproduction - Musée Rodin” guarantee the quality and origin of the sculpture reproduction.