Post card collected in Paris, France
THE HOME AND GARDEN OF RODIN:
Museé Rodin
Above all gardens within Paris, the garden belonging to the Museé Rodin is by far my favorite. In summer the walkways bloom with fragrant flowers, swaying and bouncing in the wind. Quiet, secluded pathways allow for one to get lost between the rows and rows of lush green plants and allow for the sculptures to reveal themselves within their environment. This kind of display of artwork was something that I had never seen before. The severity of the figures from The Burghers of Calais beautifully contrasted with endless trees and fallen leaves of the courtyard and likewise, The Gates of Hell, coexisted with trimmed hedges and countless colored roses. The juxtaposition of the sculptures with the environment strangely functioned to make the works of art more open to interpretation. In these soft and hazy gardens, the work of Rodin truly came alive.
Left: The Thinker by A. Rodin
Right: Flowers of the Jardin Rodin
Photo by Allison Planck; iPhone 5c
Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
Auguste Rodin was a French sculptor working during the 19th century in Paris, France. His approach to sculpture was unlike anyone at his time, producing forms that were naturalistic, fiercely emotional, and humanistic. He focused on the body and its complex form, capturing the true nature of man. For this he is highly celebrated as being one of the most important figures to the sculptural art practice.
Left: Singular casts ofThe Burghers of Calais by A. Rodin
Right: Aziz, Ian, and Ashton sitting in front of The Hôtel Biron
Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
The grounds of the museum are absolutely breathtaking. Allow yourself the day to walk the gardens and see the exquisite work on display. In certain areas of the gardens you can see the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides peeking out in the distance over the hedges. There is even a small cafe and outdoor seating to relax and take a break at.
Left: Allison walking through the Museé Rodin grounds
Right: View of Les Invalides
Photo by Aziz Maaham; Minolta x-700
Photo by Allison Planck; Minolta x-700
The Hôtel Biron is a mansion that now houses part of the Rodin collection. The house was originally built in the 18th century. By the time Rodin started renting the rooms to use for his studio, the garden had vastly overgrown and become wild - this is said to have quite an impression on the artist. In order to continue to live and work within the Hôtel, Rodin offered to donate all of his works to the French government to be housed on the estate grounds - which would become the Museé Rodin in 1910.
