Exit Foyer
Rodin Museum
Exit Foyer
Rodin Museum
Rodin originally created this figure for the top of The Gates of Hell. The seated man represented Dante, the Italian poet whose depiction of hell provided the theme for the doors. But the sculptor eventually separated the figure from The Gates, exhibiting it alone as a generic portrait he called The Poet or The Thinker.
In 1904 the city of Paris installed a larger version of the work as a public monument, and its symbolism shifted again. "Mr. Rodin’s Thinker is the ordinary workman, anonymous, unknown," one newspaper wrote. "It symbolizes the egalitarian society and the total republic."
Rodin Museum, Exit Foyer
| Titles: | The Thinker |
| Date: | Modeled 1880-1881; cast 1924 |
| Artists: | Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917) Cast by the foundry Alexis Rudier, Paris (1874–1952) |
| Medium: | Bronze |
| Dimensions: | 27 1/8 x 15 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches (68.9 x 40 x 50.2 cm) |
| Classification: | Sculpture |
| Credit Line: | Bequest of Jules E. Mastbaum, 1929 |
| Accession Number: | F1929-7-15 |
| Geography: | Made in France, Europe |
We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.
Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.
Exit Foyer
Rodin Museum