Rodin's 'Burghers of Calais' serves as a monument honoring the heroism of the citizens of Calais, France, and reinforcing the historical identity of the city.
By Cara Carlson ’08
Where can you see 19th century French sculpture by Rodin?
At Gustavus Adolphus College’s Hillstrom Museum of Art. The museum is currently presenting “Rodin: In His Own Words, Selections from the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.” The exhibit runs through Tuesday, April 22.
Known for famous works like “The Thinker,” Auguste Rodin is considered to be one of the greatest sculptors of the Western tradition, on par with artists such as Michelangelo (1475-1564), Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), and Antonio Canova (1757-1822).
How did Gustavus obtain such an exhibit?
Because Hillstrom Museum of Art Director Donald Myers has excellent connections in the art world. Myers previously worked at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., which has some works by Rodin from the Cantor collection. Myers, a 1983 Gustavus graduate, the museum, and this exhibition demonstrate the College’s commitment to excellence.
“We have had many visitors from outside the region visit the campus to see the exhibit, and the response has been very positive and appreciative of the opportunity to experience Rodin’s great art,” Myers said. Feature stories in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and on Minnesota Public Radio have generated even more interest in the exhibit.
Many of Rodin’s works were unorthodox yet highly influential, inspiring countless artists who followed him. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art inaugurated the Rodin Room in 1912 to showcase a rotating exhibit of his pieces. One of Rodin’s former Parisian residences is now a museum dedicated entirely to his collection of over six hundred works, including sculptures, paintings, and lithographs.
The late sculptor Paul Granlund (1925-2003), who served for many years as the Sculptor in Residence at Gustavus (his alma mater), frequently cited Rodin as a primary influence on his own figural work in bronze.
One sculpture in the exhibition, Rodin’s “Three Faunesses,” was a particular inspiration for Granlund’s 1964 bronze titled “Flower,” which he created after seeing a cast of Rodin’s bronze in a Paris gallery.
Among the sculptures in the exhibition are such famous works such as The Thinker, Burghers of Calais, First Maquette, and Saint John the Baptist Preaching. The collection ranges in influence from mythology to art to history, and features works cast both during Rodin’s lifetime and others as recently as 1995.
Exhibits and events at Gustavus’s Hillstrom Museum of Art are free and open to the public. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 1–5 p.m. on weekends. For more information visit the museum’s website.