Study for the Monument to BalzacAuguste Rodin

This clay study (c. 1891) by Auguste Rodin was part of his project to honor Honoré de Balzac, a key figure in French literature. Commissioned in 1891, Rodin aimed to capture Balzac’s essence beyond likeness. Initially rejected in 1898 for defying norms, the work’s expressive power was later acknowledged. A bronze cast was erected in Paris in 1939, solidifying Rodin’s vision and Balzac’s legacy.