The Age of Bronze

"The Age of Bronze" is a remarkable bronze statue crafted by the illustrious French sculptor Auguste Rodin. This life-sized sculpture, towering at 72 inches, depicts a nude male figure in a compelling pose. Rodin completed this masterpiece in 1876, choosing a Belgian soldier as his model. He meticulously documented the process through photographs, which are currently preserved in the Rodin Museum.

The statue’s pose, with one arm raised above the head, is inspired by Michelangelo’s "Dying Slave" housed in the Louvre Museum. When "The Age of Bronze" premiered at the 1877 Salon in Paris, it generated considerable controversy. Some skeptics accused Rodin of duplicity, alleging that he had cast the statue directly from a living model. Although these accusations were baseless, the scandal only served to amplify public interest in Rodin's oeuvre.

Today, casts of "The Age of Bronze" are prominently displayed in museums worldwide, allowing countless admirers to appreciate Rodin’s extraordinary craftsmanship.