Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
ROBIN TALKS OF HIS WORK
A Visit to the Sculptor in His Studio.
in Paris.
IMPRESSIONS OF MAN HIMSELF
His Inst Ideal Product-PuEzIe Of
Two Hands and n scrolI--He Dis
cusses His Theories-His
studio 81 Mendon.

PARIS. Sept. 15-The many statues in
the hall Of sculpture Of the Musee du
Luxembourg are separated here and there
At almost regular Intervals by the groups
and single pieces Of Auguste Rodin. They
are seen and admired in a pilgrimage which
begins there and ends at the clergy house
Of the Church Of the Sacre Occur, rue de
Varennes. which is now one OF the many
studios Of NJ. Rodin. and it is here that
he accords an Interview.
II IL at the gateway Of the spacious court,
between the paving stones Of which thou
sands Of grass blades are springing, and
I'm the corners OF which great masses Of
luscious foliage make one forget the heat
Of the August afternoon. that Rodin Is
first seen. His arrival, he explains punctil-
iousiy. has been delayed by unforeseen
events. II has in truth been heralded by
the unloading OF a portrait bust which Is
brought by a quartet Of workmen. In the
inevitable blue blouses, IN a heavy cart
where Il has reposed on a wooden struc-
ture, something like a gun carriage, with
out covering or protection OF any kind. You
question whether an American sculptor
would dare entrust his precious cargo to
the chances Of such a journey. 1t has
come from a distance, from Meudon, in
fact.
Among the Marbles.
This portrait bust, the piece OF work on
which he lie at present engaged. has been
placed on its pedestal when the party
enters the studio, but Rodin passes it as
II its safety were not a matter of great
Importance, and as IL he cared more to
See that other pieces, completed or in a
state OF transition, should receive his well
coming and his guests Introductory glance.
Truth to tell, you do not wonder that he
should forget, or at least temporarily
ignore It, for the work, in contrast with
the pieces about II, has more or less Of
the commercial aspect. II is in fact the
fulfillment OF an order from a prominent
POLITICAL and personal friend Of the sculp-
tor.
One Of the contrasting marbles is the last
ideal product Of the restless brains and
hands. 1t shows the graceful body of a
young girl, who seems to be breaking out
of the marble block as a bird breaks out
Of the shell. 1t looks as II were you to
touch the neck or shoulder the marble
would retain the pressure Of the finger.
The girl is crouohing on her knees and is
supported. too, by her flattened palms.
The saucy head is tilted, the nose is
retroussA and the mouth has a crooked
smile like Sentimental Tommy's friend,
Grisel. The hair is tossed carelessly over
the small ear OF the right side, and you
have the impression that young and imma-
ture as she is. II, like Galatea, she were
suddenly endowed with speech she might
tell a risque Jest OF the boulevards or at
least be frankly impertlnent.
Not Easily Named.
You ask by what name it will later on
be known to the maker Of catalogues, and
Rodin shakes his head and waves a vague
hand.
Il never know what l will call any
thing" he says finally. II invariably
change my titles as l go on with the work
sometimes half a dozen times. / have
thought of calling this Caprice A
Thought The Flower Neither one really
expresses the statue, as you see. Words
are so insufficient, but why do they really
matter? 1t would be just as well to give
II a number or a letter II that were posi-
BILE, for everyone who sees a work of art
reads it according to the vocabulary that
experience has afforded him"
The sculptor then leads the way to an
other pedestal placed in the middle Of a
great bay window which looks out on the
facade Of the church and a tangle of yege-
tation growing in the intervening garden.
The pedestal holds two hands rising from
supple wrists. Between them is a scroll.
1t is easy to read the intention of the ar
fist that they are not merely protective,
but secretive as well.
His Series of Hands.
This is the third Of the series OF hands"
explains Mr. Rodin. The first was The
Hand OF God which you may remember
In the Luxembourg. The title of that was