Auguste Rodin

Auguste Rodin is widely regarded as the father of modern sculpture, a revolutionary figure who broke decisively from the idealized, smooth classicism that had dominated European sculpture for centuries. Born in Paris in 1840, Rodin was rejected three times by the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts before forging his own path through work in decorative arts studios and under the influence of sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse. His mature style is characterized by dramatically textured surfaces, expressive anatomical distortion, and a psychological intensity that sought to capture inner emotional states rather than mere physical likeness. Rodin worked primarily in bronze and marble, often leaving works in a deliberately unfinished state — emerging from rough stone — to suggest the struggle of form emerging from matter itself.