Auguste Rodin was born on 12 November 1840 in Paris. A French sculptor, Rodin is widely seen as the founder of modern sculpture. Rejecting the idealized academic tradition, he modeled the human figure with rough, expressive surfaces and emotional intensity, as in The Thinker, The Kiss, The Age of Bronze and The Burghers of Calais. His monumental Gates of Hell, inspired by Dante and never completed, was the source for many of his best-known figures. His work was initially criticized, but later brought him fame and many commissions. His student and companion Camille Claudel was a gifted sculptor in her own right.
Before and after
- 2 April 1840Birth of Émile Zola
- 25 April 1840Birth of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- 1 May 1840The Penny Black, the first postage stamp, is issued
- 2 June 1840Birth of Thomas Hardy
- 12 November 1840Birth of Auguste Rodin
- 14 November 1840Birth of Claude Monet
- 1841Discovery of praseodymium
- 1841Publication of Swiss Psalm
- 26 January 1841Founding of Hong Kong
More in Art, literature & culture
- 5 May 1821Founding of The Guardian
- 7 May 1824Beethoven's Ninth Symphony premieres
- 7 April 1837Publication of The Little Mermaid
- 21 February 1848Publication of The Communist Manifesto
- c. 1860sImpressionism
- 19 March 1882Construction of Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.