Rodin artist biography

(1840-1917)

Who Was Auguste Rodin?

Auguste Rodin was a sculptor whose work had a huge influence on modern art.

Rodin artist biography

Unlike many famous artists, Rodin didn't become widely established until he was in his 40s. Developing his creative talents during his teens, Rodin later worked in the decorative arts for nearly two decades. He eventually sculpted the controversial piece "The Vanquished" (renamed "The Age of Bronze"), exhibited in 1877.

Among Rodin's most lauded works is "The Gates of Hell," a monument of various sculpted figures that includes "The Thinker" (1880) and "The Kiss" (1882). Rodin didn't live to finish the intricate piece; he died on November 17, 1917, in Meudon, France.

Early Life

Rodin was born François-Auguste-René Rodin on November 12, 1840, in Paris, France, to mother Marie Cheffer and father Jean-Baptiste Rodin, a police inspector.

Rodin had one sibling, a sister two years his senior, Maria.

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