Posted 10 years ago
vetraio50
(751 items)
Septimus and Clara Muller visited Paris in 1907 and collected a card of Rue Soufflot and the Panthéon that I have posted already on CW. While researching that card I realised the significance of the card of 'Le Penseur'.
The Millers would have seen 'Le Penseur' in its original position in front of the Panthéon on their visit in 1907. 'Le Penseur' had been first presented to the public in 1904 and thanks to some of Rodin’s admirers the bronze was placed in front of the Panthéon in 1906. It remained there until 1922 when it was taken to the Hôtel Biron, which had been transformed into the Rodin Museum.
The bronze figure is about 186 centimetres (73 in) high.
It was originally named ‘Le Poète’ or ‘The Poet’ .
Rodin began work on it around 1880 as part of another project: a doorway surround called ‘La Porte de l'Enfer ‘ or ‘The Gates of Hell’.
In 1880 the Directorate of Fine Arts commissioned Rodin to design an entrance to a planned Decorative Arts Museum that was never built.
‘Le Poète’ was just one of many of the doorway’s elements. A number of these elements were enlarged by Rodin and became works of art of their own: eg ‘Le Baiser’ or ‘The Kiss’.
Some say that ‘Le Poète’ depicts Dante at The Gates of Hell, pondering his great epic poem ‘la Divina Commedia’ or ‘the Divine Comedy’. Others say that the figure is Rodin’s self portrait contemplating the human condition.
Rodin worked on the project from 1880 up until his death in 1917.
It seems that ‘Le Poète’ was renamed 'Le Penseur’ by foundry workers, who noted its similarity to Michelangelo's statue of Lorenzo de Medici called "Il Pensieroso" (The Thoughtful One) in the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo in Florence.
This is a postcard published by N.D. Phot No. 1804: Neurdein et Cie (1860’s-1919) Paris, France.
very very beautiful place!! ,love the history as well!!
Many thanks SEAN & BLUNDERBUSS !!!!!!
Your very welcome Kevin!! the French Tour is stunning!! :)Thankyou for being our Tour Guide!!
I'm with Sean!
"Le Penseur" sounds so much better than "The Thinker".
It arouses completely different emotions. English can be very clumsy at times!
I agree.................
Many thanks KAREN, SEAN, VIOLET ORANGE, POPS, KERRY, AGHCOLLECT & BLUNDERBUSS !!!!!!!!!!
Vetraio50, do you know if le penseur is still standing in the same place? Would be great to see what the surrounding looks like today.
Many thanks ELISABETHAN !!!!!!!
There are actually about 28 large versions spread around the world these days.
But this one on the card was the first of the large scale versions. It was moved to the Hôtel Biron in 1922. It stands/sits there today in the garden.
http://agreateuropetripplanner.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/in-garden-of-hotel-biron.html
Many thanks PHIL, MIKELV, RADEGRUNDER, GARY, GEO, ROYCROFTBOOKSFROMME & TED STRAUB too !!!!!!!!
Many thanks JEWELS !!!!!!
Many thanks TREY !!!!!!
Your very welcome Kevin!!!
Many thanks TOM !!!!!!
Welcome back!
Many thanks VIOLET ORANGE !!!!!
Many thanks NORDICMAN too !!!!!
Many thanks ELISABETHAN !!!!!!!!!!!
Many thanks SOUTHCOP 'n MUSIKCHOO !!!!!!!
Many thanks MOON !!!!!!!!
Many thanks ROYCROFTBOOKSFROMME !!!!!!!!!!!
Many thanks NEWFLD !!.!!.!!
Hi vetraio50, I'd love to use your image of the Rodin Thinker postcard for some artwork but it's quite low resolution. Do you have a higher res version and if so would you mind sharing it? Many thanks, Jonathan
Hi JGDLEWIS. I will have a look at what I have on file. Otherwise I will have to dig the album out of storage.
Many thanks MALKEY !.!!.!.!!.!
I have reloaded the first pic. I hope it is better. If not email me and I will try that. It was done on a scanner. I am no real expert on this.
Great, thanks very much.