Description
“Auguste Rodin: Annotated Drawings” by Daniel Coenn, part of the My Pocket Gallery series, focuses on the French sculptor’s immense drawing output. Rodin (1840–1917) created thousands of drawings, especially later in his life. He considered these drawings crucial; he called them “the key to my work.” These sketches allowed him to explore the human form with great freedom.
The “Instant Drawings” Technique
Rodin used a technique he called “instant drawings” (dessins instantanés). Models moved quickly and naturally, often in acrobatic poses. The artist drew at high speed, famously never looking down at the paper. This blind drawing method captured the body’s energy and complex movement. Consequently, the resulting pictures had an amazing spontaneity, though lines sometimes went off the edge.
Importance and Themes
These drawings were more than just preparatory studies. Rodin used them to grasp life’s fundamental energy and human emotion. For instance, his drawings explored several powerful themes:
- Time and Space: Capturing fleeting moments.
- Dance: Expressing the body in motion.
- Desire: Exploring intense emotion.
He later transferred these insights to his work in clay and stone. Therefore, this volume offers a valuable look into the great sculptor’s complete creative process.
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