La Ronde, c. 1883-1884
Auguste Rodinexpand_more
Drypoint printed in green on Japan paperexpand_more
The William M. Ladd Collection Gift of Herschel V. Jones, 1916expand_more P.3,308
Not on Viewexpand_more
Auguste Rodin got the feel of incising tools during a job decorating porcelain at the Sèvres factory. That likely led to experiments with drypoint, a process whereby tiny pools of ink are trapped in the furls of metal that are displaced by the etching needle. When the plate is inked and printed, the trapped ink produces soft, blurry lines, an effect that adds to the sense of movement in La Ronde. One of just twelve drypoints Rodin made, this print was novel in the 1880s for showing dancing nude men. Rodin's sculptural genius is apparent in the strong contours and muscular modeling. Scholars attribute the sober mood to the influence of Dante's Divine Comedy, which Rodin had been reading as background for his sculpture The Gates of Hell.
Details
- Title
- La Ronde
- Artist Life
- 1840–1917
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.3,308
- Provenance
- William M. Ladd
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Delteil 5 i/iii; Thorson 19 i/iii
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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