New-York tribune., 1902-07-08

When the Editor of 1.-THE Daily MALI heard
that Rodin was to make that visit to London
to which more than one reference has recently
been made in The Tribune, he promptly sent one
of his representatives to interview the famous
sculptor in his studio at Meudon. Rodin talked
freely of his career and Of his ideas. 1t Is In
teresting to hear any competent artist on his
work. but there is something especially interest
ing in the condolences of a man like Rodin, whose
work is so peculiarly individual and even revo-
Iutionary We quote, therefore, that part Of
the interview in which his principles are dis
cussed.
people talk TO you about an ugly face they
have seen. What right has any human belng
10 set up as a judge of Natures handiwork?
Beauty and ugliness, as commonly eInployeu
are but meaningless expressions, for there is not
nor can there be, any fixed standard for either.
Besides you deny that representation or
mere conventional beauty leaves most spec
tators absolutely Indifferent? Have you never
felt crushed by the desolate perfection OF the
work Of some school trained artist?"
Were you not sometimes tempted, in the
days of encouragement, to sacrifice TO the pre-
Never" This Rodin uttered with great
vehemence My principal characteristic is
call il obstinacy, if you like. L was and am
persuaded too deeply that the taste Of the nine
teenth century was false to great extent, di-
verted into vicious channels.
MY ambition in youth was to be admitted
eventually to the State Fine Art School, but
they would have none of me there. They did
not want pupils with preconceived notions. Ma
fol" I told myself when, after going up third
time, 1 realized that was to be systematically
excluded principle, since they will not let me
in. l must Just go my way as best l can.
Since then Nature has been my only treacher.
When pupils come TO me and try to discover
what they term my lodges I only tell
them, Study Nature. Interrogate her unceas-
ingly with patience and perseverance. l have no
other dodge but this.
"A similar rebuff met when / tried to ex-
hibit in the Salon-pitiless refusal. was
twenty-four at the time, and the principal OBJ
lection TO was that l had not passed
through the course Of official tuition.
THE work I sent in, moreover" continued
Rodin, was not conceived after the taste or my
judges. Faithful to my principles, had repre-
sented my model 1 saw him He had a
crooked nose, and had my figure. This was to
go dead against all the accepted canons of art,
which prescribe that il is legitimate to tamper
with Nature and TO 'beautify' her when neces-
sary. My manner of posing my models, too,
was not that of the schools. There is nothing
detest more than the professional model who
takes up certain ridiculously unnatural attitudes.
What insist upon from my models is that they
shall not pose at all in the ordinary sense OF
the word. Take any attitude you like | tell
them, provided you feel perfectly at your ease
The Man with the Broken Nose my first
work came be termed, was considered on
various grounds, therefore, a monstrous failure.
and only found purchaser twenty years after
it was executed.
1T is not from my compatriots that I have
received the most support. Official encourage
ment on which almost all sculptors must de-
pend TO a great extent, has been persistently re-
fused me Until the exhibition year. as 1 have
said already, l always lived from hand to
mouth. Then several Continental museums
made large purchases of my work, among them
the Copenhagen Museum the director of which
bought for over 10000 francs. A number. too,
found their way to America. and now I am to
be represented in England by my statue of st.
John
rs IL impertinent to ask what remuneration
you to receive for this?'
by no means / was requested. in the first
instance, 10 name my own conditions. AS the
work was to be placed in the South Kensington
Museum, honor which l appreciate very
keenly, determined to ask only the bare cost
OF the bronze, about f160 The committee at
once replied that they would not hear of such
an arrangement, and asked at the same
time whether 1 would accept EGO. Such deli
cacy, i must confess, touched me very much,
for my past experiences had hardly accustomed
me to treatment of this sort"