The sun., 1919-11-02
PARIS. oct. 16.

Paris. There are artists Of the
brush and OF the chisel, there are art
lists of the theatre, and following these
there is the whole world of profess
sional people generally. All have
rushed with feverish activity into the
breach since the war is over, and al
ready the ugly scars of war, the cries
Of broken hearts, are being covered
over smothered, lifted up and en-
nobled by the spirit OF their united
genius.
The death OF Rodin and the open
Ing of the Musee Rodin has caused q
great stir among the sculptors. No
sculptor of modern times has been
so much discussed as Rodin. Like all
strong personalities, he made many
enemies, but he had many partisans as
well, and in the end his genius
triumphed. He lived long enough to
see the one great ambition of his
life carried out, his work united in a
vast national museum. where he alone
reigns supreme, in company with
few specimens of ancient Greek
sculpture, pieces which he himself had
collected, and which he studied and
treasured with loving care.
Besides the collection Of the masters
work in Hotel Biron in Paris, which
he donated to the French Government,
there is also his home at Meudon,
where he worked in summer, and
where he breathed his last. which con-
tains many more OF his creations,
which also became the property OF
the State. Among the last named
there are said to be a number of
small pieces. exquisitely done. which.
being after the nature of Michael
Angeles Leda and the Swan" are too
suggestive for public exhibition, have
only been reviewed by few privileged
ones up to the present.
Kept I'm Secret Cabinet.
Rodn kept these hidden away in a
secret cabinet opening off a stairway
half way up from the landing, and 1t
was one of his bits of amusement to
open this cabinet himself and give his
intimates a little surprise, like what
is afforded the visitor to the ruins of
JPompeii when by paying a few extra
pennies to the guides wonderful satyr-
like objects are brought forth which
of the wicked pagans of the doomed
city. These aphrodisiac figures OF
Rodin. composed largely Of couples
passionnes, are in terra Gotta, and art
connoisseurs who have committed the
indiscretion of mentioning the secret
cabinet of Rodin claim that the objects
therein are among the most brilliant
of his achievements, and they suggest
that they be united in a secret cabinet
similar to that in the Museum Of
Naples, where for an extra fee the
public may be admitted to see them,
assuring that connoisseurs would rush
with alacrity to acquit themselves OF
the enlightening experience.
The house at Meudon has a beauti-
full garden, and at the bottom OF this
garden is a pavilion which up to the
time when II all became the property
OF the State was occupied by son OF
the great sculptor, a man now of mid
die age and who it is said did not in
herit any of .the genius of his father
on the contrary, he lived the life Of a
recluse. like bacchante OF the woods
II is the old story; great genius is
rarely inherited direct from parent to
child. In the last years of his life
Rodin legalized his relation with the
woman the companion of his life, and
she lies in the place OF honor in the
tomb close beside him at Meudon
where he Is buried. He was of humble
origin, and as boy he worked in the
Sevres pottery factory. where he mas
tered the mechanical details Of the ar
which was one day to make him the
most celebrated sculptor OF the present
century.
Inspiration From Hugo.
One Of Robins first great inspira.
tions came from Victor Hugo, whC
permitted the young sculptor to oc
cupy a corner IN his own study, anC
while the great master Of the per
worked at his table the young mar
made sketch after sketch of him II
different poses, and from sketches h,
went on to plaster casts. He worked
with an enthusiasm born of his grea
admiration for Victor Hugo, whom h
worshipped as only an ambitiou
young man can deify one such as Vic
tor Hugo, who was then at the heigh
of his power and fame. Rodin spen
almost a year on this bust before pre-
senting 1t for criticism TO the original
and then he was doomed to receive hi
first great disappointment.
The family of Victor Hugo did no
ike the bust, and this setback cause
the young sculptor his first grea
shock. But he was destined to receiv
many another knockout blow befor
his career was finished, and as he ad
vsnced in life fighting his enemies be
came the ruling passion of his exist
ence; but this never in any wa
changed his originality or the inds
pendence of his creations. He lived I
see another OF his statues of Victo
Hugo installed in one of the publ
gardens of Paris, the Palais Royal,
but even that is not altogether tn
monument as he conceived 1t.
= In this piece of marble, as in mos
all Robins work, the human figure
seen emerging from the block
marble, which is only partly cut ava,
The head of Victor Hugo, doubles
done from the early inspiration OF tn
sculptors studies Of the great poet,
magnificent in this statue one arm
outstretched, the hand resting on a
upright piece placed there for the pul
pose. 1t Is this baton (staff) whic
has been much criticised as meaninl
less.
Original Design.
But the uninitiated will now have a
opportunity to study the original d.
sigr for this monument. which is