Auguste Rodin
Father of modern sculpture, The Thinker
Most quoted
"The artist must be a seer, a visionary, a poet, a dreamer, a philosopher, a scientist, a craftsman, a worker, a man of the world, a man of solitude, a man of action, a man of contemplation, a man of passion, a man of reason, a man of faith, a man of doubt, a man of joy, a man of sorrow, a man of life, a man of death."
— from Various writings
"The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him."
— from Art, 1911
"It is a mistake to think that the art of the Greeks depended on the beauty of the human form. What they sought was the expression of the soul, and this is to be found in the ugliness of a Silenus as well as in the beauty of a Bacchus."
— from Art, 1911
All quotes by Auguste Rodin (358)
The artist who is not a master of his craft is like a poet who cannot write.
I have always tried to express the inner feeling, the soul, in my sculptures.
Work! Work! And have patience! That is the secret of success.
My dear Camille, I think of you always. You are my inspiration, my muse.
I am tormented by the desire to express the human soul.
There is no such thing as an ugly subject. There are only ugly artists.
I have always sought to render the movement of life.
The artist must be a mirror of his time.
I am a simple man who loves his work and tries to do it well.
The most beautiful works of art are those that express the most profound human emotions.
I have never been afraid of hard work. It is the only way to achieve anything worthwhile.
My art is an expression of my life, my joys, my sorrows, my struggles.
The sculptor must understand anatomy, but he must also understand the soul.
To create is to live twice.
I am always learning, always striving to improve.
The hand that sculpts must be guided by the heart.
True art is eternal.
I have no secrets, only hard work and perseverance.
The artist must be a visionary, seeing what others cannot.
My greatest joy is to see my work touch the hearts of others.
Contemporaries of Auguste Rodin
Other Visual Artss born within 50 years of Auguste Rodin (1840–1917).