Mable Rodin's sculpture replica fetches $1 million at a French auction
In a significant art market event, a rediscovered sculpture by the renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin, titled Despair (Le Désespoir), fetched €860,000 ($1 million) at the 37th Garden Party Auction held at the grand country house Château de Villandry in west central France.
Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) was a pioneering artist who broke away from traditional academic sculpture, focusing instead on realistic human emotion and physicality. His works often portrayed complex, turbulent human emotions in raw and naturalistic forms, which at first were controversial but later gained widespread acclaim.
Despair (Le Désespoir) likely embodies this expressive style, capturing deep emotional intensity, which resonates with Rodin’s philosophic explorations of human experience and suffering. The sculpture, created in 1892, is an 11-inch figure of a sitting woman, depicting a woman seated on a rock with one knee bent as she strains to stretch the other leg, her hands clasped around her foot.
The sculpture had gone missing after being sold at auction in 1906, only to resurface in 2021. A months-long investigation into the sculpture's origins was initiated by the auctioneers, Aymeric and Philippe Rouillac, who confirmed the rediscovery to AFP. The authenticity of the sculpture was verified by Comité Rodin, the leading authority on Auguste Rodin.
Rodin’s works remain influential well into the 21st century, signifying both historical importance and continued market demand. Rediscovered Rodin sculptures typically attract significant attention due to his towering reputation in modern sculpture history and the scarcity of his lesser-known pieces available to collectors.
In 2015, a 13-inch bronze and marble version of "Despair (Le Désespoir)" was sold for £785,000 by Sotheby's, with a high estimate of £600,000. The current whereabouts of the previous owners of the sold sculpture are not disclosed in the available information.
Two versions of Despair (Le Désespoir) can be found in museums today. A 37-inch-tall limestone version is on display at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, while a small marble version is on display at the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia.
The rediscovery and subsequent auction sale of Despair (Le Désespoir) serve as a testament to the enduring appeal and value of Rodin's works, as well as the ongoing interest in uncovering lost or overlooked pieces from the artist's oeuvre. For art enthusiasts and collectors alike, this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with the legacy of one of the most influential sculptors in modern history.
[1] Rodin, Auguste. "Auguste Rodin." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2021, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/artist/4113.
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