The Gates of Hell
"The Thinker" was initially named The Poet (), and was part of a large commission begun in 1880 for a doorway surround called "The Gates of Hell". Rodin based this on "The Divine Comedy" of Dante Alighieri, and most of the figures in the work represented the main characters in the poem with "The Thinker" at the center of the composition over the doorway and somewhat larger than most of the other figures. Some critics believe that it was originally intended to depict Dante at the gates of Hell, pondering his great poem. Other critics reject that theory, pointing out that the figure is naked while Dante is fully clothed throughout his poem, and that the sculpture's physique does not correspond to Dante's effete figure. The sculpture is nude, as Rodin wanted a heroic figure in the tradition of Michelangelo, to represent intellect as well as poetry.