Monday, May 18, 2009

Le Penseur (The Thinker)

Auguste Rodin's most famous work is "Le Penseur" (The Thinker). I made an image of one of 8 original re-castings of the work when we visited the campus of Columbia University last Saturday. The bronze sculpture was donated to the university in 1930. It is installed in front of the Philosophy Hall. The Thinker was originally meant to depict Dante in front of the Gates of Hell, pondering his poem. In the final sculpture, a miniature sits atop the tympanon, pondering the hellish fate of those beneath him. The Thinker was exhibited in its original size (71.5cm) in Copenhagen in 1888. Columbia University is located on Morningside Heights at 116th Street and Broadway.

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