The morning call., 1892-02-21

ROdin to preserve this first model Of Victor
Hugo uudraped, and make a second with
dTapeTy, so that a comparison and choice
may he made between the two. In any
ease. Rodin has been requested to make two
statues of Victor Hugo-one for the Pan
theOn ana the other for some park or public
square in Paris. Let Us hope that the
Committee of the Beaux Arts will not
change its decision, and that, like Barye,
who had visions Of baS- reliefs stamped with
his name decorating the Arc de TriOmphe,
Rodin will not find in the end that a number
OF commissions mean none at all
When Augusie Rodin began the statue of
BaZac it was said that the sculptor had
frequent conversations with q venerable
tailor who had worked many years for the
author Of La Coincide HumaiGe"; some
journals went so far as TO say ROdin dis
cuSSed revers, socks and details of the mOSt
minute character. All this was absurd, be-
cause ROdiu needed no assistance in giving
his idea Of the great Baljac. The costume
he has chosen is the legendary robe de
CHI andre, with c0rdelieTe. This allows
magnificent draping; the right leg, thrown
forward, is uncovered rs high as the knee,
and only by the trOuser-leg aud shoe can
one have any idea of the costume of the
epoch Thus an apparently secondary de-
tail is sufficient for the artist tn give an i'm
preston OF material, historical reality. But
the highest reality, that of thought and
genius, is seen In the grandeur OF the pose,
in the arms folded, in the leOnine face with
its profound expression, its regard. as
though intensely observing life. Nothing
can be more imposing than this magnificent
mask Of the thinker. with hair falling on
the neck, raised and divided in heavy
masses on the forehead.
think it is safe to predict that the statue
OF BalZac will be one of the most expressive
ever chiseled by ROdin; in the first place,
the subject inspires all the enthusiasm t
the sculptor, and then. the work cannot be
lacking in strength for il is entirely COM
posed before il is either nodded or chiseled.
The committee OF the SOciete des Gems de
LettreS has decided that the statue is elO-
quent and of an elevated Sculptural style,
and that the sculptor has better idea of
how Balzac should be represented than
have all the committees appointed to criti-
CHE his work.
Auguste Rodin has recently made the bust
oil Furyls de CharanneS, in marble, and
Others OF Jean Panl LauTenS AutOnin
Proust, ROchef0rt and Dalon. Jules DalOn
has Just completed a statue of Deacroix for
the Luxembourg Gardens, and his studio is
not very far from that of his friend, Au-
guSte Rodin. For years Rndin has been
working on LA Porte de PEnfer" after
study from Dante, but except this and
saint John the Baptist in the Luxem-
Dourg Palace, Robins subjects are nearly
all national.
He has made a group of Bourgeois de
Calais" and the eloquence of this group its
power OF historical evOcatiOn, can be COM
pared only TO Micheet. ROdin has visited
every portion Of France, and knows we'll
the secrets of every little town, every tiny
village. He has listened to the tales re-
lated by the Claux SHUTTER, Niche Colombo
and others, aud has known how to embOdy
them in his works.
AuguSt3 ROdin was born in 1870 aud in
1864, while working in the studio of Carrier
Belleuse he began his reputation by the
mask OF The Man With the Broken Nose"
In 1877 he exhibited The Brass Age" an
example OF wonderful modelling, now seen
In the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace.
but, besides all these great works, Rodn
has made many beautiful small sketches,
groups In bronze and marble, all imbued
with this character of life, to which have
already referred.
Auguste ROdin Is very agreeable in man.
ner, very affable as he greets his visitors,
ana when he shows his work or explains IL
TO his numerous visitors be speaks of HIM
sell with mOdesty. However, becoming in
terested In his subject, ROdin also becomes
enthusiastic, forgets that he is author of the
Work and wildly describes its conception
and execution.
Emile lola has taken much interest In the
statue OF BalZac as modelled by ROdIn. and
ne wishes that the unwilling of the statue
be the occasion of great demonstrations in
honor OF the father of realism IN fiction.
FOR certainly BalZdc was al example In re-
a!lsm to all French TOmanciers who come
after him.
BARONESS ALIHEA SALVADOR