New-York tribune., 1895-08-18
IN PARIS STUDIOS.
A VISIT TO ROBIN WITH JOHN LAFARGD
-PURIs DE CHAvANNEs.

Rodin. the eminent and inimitable sculptor, VINO
has many ardent admirers In America 40 e'S~
where. His studio is still at No ls1 rue oe
PUniversite. down at its further END, IN 'ns
neighborhood OF the Champ de Mars IL is ons
of those Partisan quarters Of sleepy Streets
with unobtrusve houses, interminable walls
and an occasional tree, full Of a broodng quiet.
warmed through with sn atmosphere OF con.
centrated incessant industry. II Is here that
one OF the noblest and most simple-minded ana
tireless of workers with the hand and the orains
Auguste Rodin. has his workshops, or rather
the one Of his workshops where visitors are al
mitted.
II is here that he keeps his famous gates. Or
dered by the Government, and destined one DAY
10 be cast In bronze They are still. alas. no
nearer completion than they were when last
saw them about three years ago. but supremely
interesting now as then. They represent the
damned in Hell, after Dantes Inferno. OF
course for the incidents and characters only;
there is naturally no attempt to reproduce the
curious Dantesaue arrangement In descending
concentric circles. with Lucifer and the three
arch traitors in the ice at the bottom OF the pix
On the contrary. the artist has put Lucirer ana
the three traitors-Judas. Brutus and Cassius-
over the gates. grimly surmounting the crowo
OF agonized figures that cover the TWO enor-
nous panels and crawl up the sides OF the gates.
The figures small and mostly in the round
or in high relief; unity is preserved In curious
way characteristic Of the artist by Observe
ton OF the relation OF what French sculptors
call "color"-i e., the play Of light and shade
over the hollows and projections, the different
planes OF the modelling OF the surface. Masses
Of plaster roughly indicating the general
scheme. hll the empty spaces. AS each figure
IL i, into itc MI
The life OF Auguste Rodin seems simple enough
and entirely devoted TO his work. No one knows
where he lives; he has. 1t is said three or four
addresses. with no orders 10 forward Some
times he does not visit them for weeks: letters
and notes accumulate. invitations and meetings
fall due and he does not turn up. Even the
fellow workers with whom he Is in sympathy
know no more than the Others.
When 7 had the pleasure OF seeing him he
spoke with much feeling. and with the simple
eloauence which Is his own. OF the monastic HE
as the only one suited to IN artist. 1T would be
much better for the artists 10 go back TO living
simply and give all their time to art II Is not
for the artists this complicated machinery OF
business and society"
Some OF the works he showed us might wei
have been produced in tho most absolute mon
astery Of artistic seclusion This was all the
more delightful since his new departures - the
Salon this wear were strangely disappointing
and perplex!ng suggesting untoward Influences
or the pursuit Of a principle. or formula car
ried too far There is for instance. a head" 80
the catalogue says. in marble. 1t consists or
large rectangular. upright block of roush-hewn'
beautiful marble. on the top OF which the head IS
placed squarely like knob or. as poeticaiy
minded admirers say. a flower. Is not this the
exaggeraton OF the principle defined by the ar
,is, himself AS contrasting the roughness and
tmmoyability Of the marble with the softness ana
life ~ the Aesh"7 To me- al least. this adapta-
ton does not carry the same CONVECTION as IN
many earlier instances: for example. In the
famous bust in the Luxembourg where pe
lively neck and bosom and part OF the shoulders
emerge. full Of trembling life from the marble
left rough; or in some Of the interlaced groups.
whore the group is completed in Its hollow and
the marble left round TO give depth OF shadow
and unity Of mass Another of the formulated
principles Of the master is that whatever the
subject may be- II must be confined within the
ma tural limits Of a block Of marble; II must nave
concentration Of line. unity OF mass
To return 10 the works in the studio MY
eyes were first caught by splendid piece OF
decorative work pedestal for bust; slender.
tallish column. wiiening around the pase' OF
firmly posed and graceful form and charming
outline decorated at the base with what ! mus.
call clusters ard sprays and wreaths OF heures
suIl NJ sensitive modelling and deligntrui action
Tbers is a tendency lust now TO an abuse or the
figure motive in decorative work; II is tnere-
fore all the more refreshing TO see IL dohe' as !.
ought to be done with respert cell Ios ' With true
decorative feeling for color, for the grada'io"s
Of the relief.
clxa
Gre, thoughts Of the artist. | had spent ne-
lightful hours over them before helpec oy this
running commentary Of the artist, 10 whlcn l. -
a rare pleasure 10 listen. IL is mostly ds I'M,
nersonai and unconcerned as II he had nothinx
10 do with the matter; again. al tirnes; as su.' W
of elation at success as the JOY OF chiIu WIZ
carving his first boat withal simple Transparent,
ouiat while f,,ll of fire and depth-ke one OF MS
own blocks Of marble. containing an Impressive
impassioned thought 49,, .,, ,.or,
Nv Measure was doubled at this VISIT from
hs,ng With Mr. John La Fargo. remember ms ms
savinp 10 me- among other things. tha' hooin
was the only FrenchD sculptor VINO possess-u p
the right feeling FOR group Mhe" hsr peop ,hav
standing or walking near each o'ner 'nes
aIwavs unconsciolIsly influence each otner az,
titudes. and thus make natural eroups, yo,n.r ~"
see Il even In two persons pass'"e ~, - ~ .
| In the street Rodin is the only one among '"e
scu,n,ors who has the true feeling ior H. a..
II was when the discussion turheu on ,' IN
,raa,mer, ~ nature that | felt speciaiiy pr''i-
legged in being allowed TO listen 10 & .ne arH.nt
L hoe
ioyars ~ nature and such devotees of stvie IN
~ bast sense Of the world. They agreed NAV
the copy OF nature is not art " is 100 matter
This Is direct copy of rature saia ROOM: =:
taking up a small torso. III - nor ye, arr, !.
! must he completed rounded out; the ho,es mus'
ha a,,sd ont" This with a quick. supple move
-. " -, tho fingers indicative OF EXPANSION
along the side and flank OF the forsoD
YES" one con say that a-t Is the exassera''o'
OF nature" said Mr. La Farge' a t.
/ alf
said Rodin. !. A,,ro our ewes
There was an instance OF ~ oerore our ~ ~
as he spoke. IAN exatation OF nature IA ,ne
| c.r.aSs would have understood II. nude hsure
90 a vounr rapturous girl in motion-the mot,or
~ tiving without the wings. the left arm ano lee
thrown back the right hand grasping .ne an' ,isn'
"m,u.a hack the head missing, but naruiy
n,ssed so ,hrobbing with life and beauty ane
low was the whole thing have seen no,n.ns INN,
modern that comes so near ,ne oese ns,-