The Rodin Museum has a massive collection of sculptures, drawings and photographs. Nearly 300 works of Rodin, are on display in the museum. There are works of some other artists as well.
The building where the Museum Rodin is located is not only a private townhouse reflecting the architecture of early 18th century, but it is also a heritage site of France, remnant of the Old Regime. Auguste Rodin used to rent the ground floor rooms of this building for using as a studio and residence.
Let's discover what this precious typical museum of Paris has to offer to visitors. Find below all important information about Rodin Museum.
What can I do at the Rodin Museum in Paris?
Rodin's works were pioneer in his time with realistic style, which influenced greatly the modern sculpture. Here are the highlights of the place:
Garden of Orpheus & Garden of Springs
The beautiful gardens of the museum are perfect to find peace where you can see Rodin's renowned sculptures like "The Thinker", "The Gates of Hell" and "The Burghers of Calais".
The Thinker (Le Penseur)
Rodin chose this work as his tombstone. The seated bronze figure seems deeply focused in thoughts representing Dante, the writer of the Divine Comedy.
The Gates of Hell (La Porte de l'Enfer)
It is said that while creating this work, Rodin got inspiration from two literary sources; the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri and The Flowers of Evil of Charles Baudelaire. There are 180 figures on this work.
Portrait of Père Tanguy (Vincent Van Gogh)
It was painted by Vincent Van Gogh in 1887. He made three portraits of Julien Tanguy. This portrait in Rodin's museum is the last in the serie and most advanced one in the technic. Van Gogh was influenced by Japanese Ukiyo-e movement. In the background an Ukiyo-e drawing can be seen in this painting.
Camille Claudel Room
Rodin and Camille Claudel had a passionate and stormy relationship which influenced their art. Claudel was also a talented sculptor and a student of Rodin. You can see some of her works in Camille Claudel room.
Entrance, Tickets and Tours
How to get to the Rodin Museum
Metro: The closest station is "Varenne" on the metro line 13. As you get out of the station Rodin's sculptures greets you.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
It takes between 1 or 1.5 hours to see the entire museum for an average visitor. It is possible to extend your stay in the vast scultpture garden of the building.
Yes. You can see "The Thinker" as one of the most well known statues of Rodin in the garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris.
History of the Rodin Museum in Paris
Auguste Rène Rodin is considered as the ancestor of the modern sculpture. He created some of the most well known sculptures in history such as The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell.
The museum building was called as Biron Hotel, where Rodin resided from 1908 until his death in 1917. In the 1900's, many renowned artists resided here including Henri Matisse, Jean Cocteau, Isadora Duncan.
The artist was very interested in art collection. A year before his death, he donated his entire sculpture collection and many important paintings from Van Gogh, Claude Monét and Rénoir to the French State in order to create a museum. It has been serving as a museum since 1919.