Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-15
APPRECIATION OF
AUGUSTE RODIN
French Master Reversed Many
Accepted Axioms of Art and
Opened New Vision
By HENRI BAZIN

inc American Army IL France
PARtS. Nov. 16.
pCT few months ago it was my privilege
- TO be received by Rodn TO hear him
speak, to look upon his godlikc head to be
permitted reporting an interview that, as I
wrote at the time, was rather in the nature
OF call with Mutual friend. Hence,
nave something of "a personal shock in learn
ing of the masters death,
Rodin was superatively intelligent, rich
In supreme expression. the most predominant
of which was independence of idea, the cres-
ton of art as he saw and felt It, and not
for catering to demand. This is not, nor for
that matter has not been, the fashion; but
the fashion mattered not TO Rodin. of all
French artists he was most noteworthy In
ths-he reversed accepted axioms and
through the power of his genius and craft
manship opened new vision in scuptured art
Upon 1t no modern has left so indelbe a
stamp. He was not of those who depended
upon temperament or unconscious (perhaps
1 should say subconscious) inspiration or In
tuition, and who, ergo, feared that study or
research might affect the inner artist him
self. His work is rich in studies that depict
technical scientific intent as well as profound
cultural treatment.
lie had said himself at Mcudon during the
conversation 1t was my permission to hear
~ profound error Is that which assumes
artists can be content with being but capable
workmen and that they should not constantly
bear in mind that the topmost use of their
intelligence should be the predominant fac
tor in their art"
His work shows this beyond else demon
strates that the mentality Of an artist should
always be the great factor in his art. he its
example the simple execution of conceived
and forecast project or the co-ordnating OF
varied marked elements in whole or the
subordinating of details To "A general idea.
Always at Odds With Academic Methods
After all. what is arts predomnating fea-
ture but portrayal of the artists intelligence,
dissecting the work itself. the thing, the
idea portrayed. the setting forth clear of real
reality in manner to make understanding
comprehensive? This was always my i'm
preston in studying. Robins art. and came
clear a bell after the first shock of
his hands strong individuality with the mod
cling tool or the chisel--strilting home with
the fact that here was first OF all an indi-
vidual thing, far more so than artistic" as
the word is often prostituted, and yet the
height of art in the true rense.
Rodin developed this point beyond any art
ist Of modern and perhaps ancient time
He was consequently always at odds with
academic methods the ia jambre qui porte"
idea, that has as objective but the embellish-
ment of nature. the mere beautifying or
idealizng and fears or refuses to admit that
character is the initial thing to be accentu-
ated in marble or clay. not with intent
to deform truth, but rather to place 1t upon
a higher scale.
That a canvas should be ably painted or
a marble we'll modelled is essential, of course
but after these primary points the artists
aim should be to give his work, a3 did Rodin,
a Specification. enwrap It in a philosophy.
show in word that the artist is as "habile"
with his intelligence as with his hands and
his tools.
At bnse all art is symbolic Rodin was far
beyond n portrayer of symbolism In that he
expressed not only superficial apparent truth.
but the profound and concealed-the outward
line and the inner soul Of the marble.
Art Necessity
This composite aim was religion with
him--"un cutie" as the French say. He be-
lieyed artists as essential and as necessary
as the butcher. the baker, the candlestick
maker. lie believed artists should not only
be inventors. but guides He gave evidence
that could well be followed without any
artistic realm of life. lie demonstrated that
the secret OF true happiness was love of ones
work and constantly seeking its perfection.
the best expression of that love. He proved
no other artist that any and every trade
should be practiced as an art
One of his pecuarities. II may so classi.
fy. was impartiaty, n rule more honored In
the breach than the observance among artists
lie ignored If he would be understood or mis-
understood, realizing there are many little
minds in the world quite incapable of under
standing. either because understanding was
beyond them or. because the thing portrayed
was different" His Balzac the Bazac that
created SO much furore. is a case in point
His Hand OF God" that wonderful marble
in the Metropolitan Museum of New York,
Is another. The work is superb in execution
but far more so in idea. But tiny sculp-
ture in itself, it embodies the alpha and
omega of life. of religion of thought simple
and profound of the divine. Of the human
Gods hand reaching forth from a rough
hewn block of marble and holding pigmy
man and woman Looked upon from any per-
spective. this masterpiece shows the simple
and profound in idea above profoundly able
execution. And such always was Rodn.
Arts Debt to Monet
The master was very broad lie under
stood and appreciated many things beyond
his pouvoir. He was admirer of the
Gothic, the antique, the Renaissance, the art
of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
with which in any of his works there is moth
ing of sembance. He euloglzed Puvis de
Chayannes and Victor Hugo, Eugene Manet
and Claude Monet. He had said that each
and all worked first with their intelligence
and that painting owed more TO Monet than
any modern because he saw clear and pointed
out that which was ridiculed before accepted
that distant foliage Is blue for instance, liz.
nored by all painters before the greatest mod
ern landscapist placed 1t bold upon canvas.
The art of sculpture owes beyond measure
TO Rodin. He showed that which the world
considered ugly to be beautiful, and the beau.
tiful Is not always so; that In art, be its
nature what it may, truth was the profound