Rodin’s The Thinker and Cézanne’s The Card Players
Rodin’s The Thinker
Material and Technique
Material: Bronze (an alloy of copper and tin), a durable material often cast using the lost wax technique. This involves creating a mold and coating it with clay or another refractory substance. Molten bronze is then poured in, melting the wax and taking its place. Rodin introduced variations to this process, such as adding texture to the fingers and hands for a rougher surface.
Form and Dimensions
Form: Free-standing sculpture, viewable from all angles.
Type: Seated
Dimensions: 198 cm x 129 cm x 134 cm
A New Era in Sculpture
Rodin’s figure marks a turning point in 19th-century sculpture. His use of unfinished forms and emphasis on mass and volume paved the way for modern sculpture. This “impressionistic” style, reminiscent of Impressionist painters, focused on capturing inner life and truth, aligning with Symbolist ideals.
The Thinker’s Significance
The Thinker, originally titled The Poet, was designed for a monumental door based on Dante’s Divine Comedy. Initially representing Dante at the gates of hell, the figure evolved into a broader symbol of humanity contemplating existence. Over 20 versions exist worldwide.
Composition and Dynamism
The sculpture’s closed posture conveys internal power. The diagonal of the right arm creates a dynamic flow, leading the viewer’s eye around the work. The balance of weight between the arms and the diagonal axis from head to left foot contribute to the sense of movement. The open spaces around the figure draw the viewer in, while the hand under the chin reveals the face, expressing dynamism and inner strength.
Cézanne’s The Card Players
Artist and Context
Author: Paul Cézanne
Date: 1890-1895
Museum: Musée d’Orsay
Dimensions: 47 cm x 57 cm
Material: Oil on canvas
Style: Post-Impressionism
Cézanne, a self-taught Provençal painter, sought to capture the essence of reality, not just its visual appearance. Rejecting Impressionism’s fleeting effects, he focused on structure and form, reducing natural shapes to cylinders, cones, and spheres. His use of parallel strokes of color and rejection of traditional perspective laid the groundwork for modern art.
The Card Players Series
Cézanne painted several versions of The Card Players, drawing inspiration from artists like Nair and Chardin. This particular canvas depicts two men absorbed in a card game, their hats suggesting a humble social class. The close-up perspective and artificial lighting enhance the scene’s intimacy.
Composition and Meaning
The figures’ symmetrical posture contrasts with the off-center placement of the bottle’s reflection. The lack of psychological expression on their faces is countered by the dynamism of the colors and brushstrokes. Cézanne’s focus on form and color influenced Cubism, Fauvism, and Expressionism.