The Louvre's Michelangelo/Rodin Exhibit

Monday morning, the 20th, we did the Louvre's very large exhibit comparing/contrasting two of the great sculptors, Michelangelo and Rodin. Vicki likes the non finito Michelangelos and especially the Slaves. I'm more a Bernini guy and can't keep a straight face looking at a Rodin. We finally did the Rodin Museum last year, and, candidly, learned more of his team approach and technique at the Louvre.  Rodin was more the designer, architect, and general contractor, leaving the actual sculpting, casting, etc., to his legion of assistants. Evidently, the marble did not speak to him as it did to Michelangelo. As usual, the interpretive stuff at the Louvre was everything you could hope for, so I'm posting much of it rather than supplying my own, um, interpretations. Click to enlarge and read. A lot.

Opening hall

One of the M's Slaves

Try to get into this position without tearing a muscle or
tendon

Click, read

Mr. Twisty

Mr. Big Hands

Study for one of the Burgers; probably Cheeseburger

Important message

19th century painting imagining Pope Julius visiting the studio
of Michelangelo; likely origin of the famous Monty Python sketch

Delacroix's Michelangelo in his Studio

Summary: M was challenged by the ancients, R by M

Degas sketch of the Sleeping Slave; before he was into
tutus and ballet

Assorted Rodin sketches of the Rebellious Slave

More Rodin sketches, Slaves, etc.; interesting to follow the
process....

M, Two Men Facing Right...after Giotto, 1490

M, Expulsion, after Masaccio, later than but near the place,
Brancusi Chapel, where Torrigiano busted M's nose

19th century porcelain planter featuring Atlantes suggested by
Michelangelo's Ecorche; also, Vicki liked it

Models of the M's Medici tombs; "Night and Day, you are the one..."

More R drawings, studies

Actually interesting...trying to illustrate M's claim that he
was liberating the form from the block of marble...Giuseppi
Penone, late 1960s

Both M and R practiced non finito, although for different reasons and
through different practices...R delegated marble work to actual sculptors...

R, The Thought, 1895, carved by Victor Peter, after an original
sculpture by Camille Claudel...Team Rodin

Definitely on the quiz: tells you what you need to know about
their methods, especially R's

Obligatory down-sized version; these puppies don't travel

The great Robin Williams...not part of the exhibit

From an 1838 plaster cast of the original, in the Church of St. Peter
in Chains, Rome (our shot of the original, 2011, is here); the
horns are a mistranslation; like "virgin"

Bronzed-up model of M's vision of Samson and the
Philistines, for a 1528 Florence companion to the David;
never realized


The End