Rodin Museum: Paris' most magical museum

I would classify the Rodin Museum as the museum with the most special charm in Paris. It is a small museum of a great artist. Many visitors come to it again and again just to have the opportunity to dream in the shadow of the statues and large trees of his elegant garden. The reception at the entrance to the complex with the statue of the 'Thinking Man' rising above the vegetation with the golden dome of the The invalid It immerses visitors in a wonderful atmosphere. Even those who are not art lovers can enjoy every moment here.

The history of the Rodin Museum

The museum is housed in the historic Hôtel de Biron, a mansion built in 1730 for a successful foreign wig manufacturer. The building later passed into the hands of the Duchess of Maine, and in 1753 it was purchased by Marshal de Biron, a member of a distinguished family of military commanders who cultivated the gardens greatly, but was executed by guillotine in 1793. Along the way, until it became a museum, the Hôtel de Biron went through a number of interesting transformations: among other things, it served as a dance hall, as a residence for nuns, and as a school for girls, until in 1908 it was converted into studios for artists.

Among the famous artists who lived there were Matisse, Jean Cocteau and Isadora Duncan. The most prominent artist who lived there until his death was the one who would become the greatest sculptor of France of all time and one of the most important sculptors in the world, Auguste Rodin (1917-1840). Unlike a number of well-known artists of Rodin's generation, he became famous and widely recognized during his lifetime. His success was so great that the state offered him a place to live and work in a private hotel rent-free, on the condition that he bequeath his works to the state after his death. Rodin, for his part, demanded that his works be exhibited to the general public and remain in the same place. Thus was born in 1919 a small, moving, wonderful and important museum, in one of the most peaceful and pleasant places in the center Paris.

Rodin's early life was not easy. He was not accepted into art studies, so he joined a monastery, and thus one of the greatest talents in the world of sculpture of all time was almost lost. Fortunately for him and for us, Rodin sculpted the abbot very successfully, and he suggested that he leave the monastery and devote himself to the field of sculpture. Rodin's great success came precisely after a scandal - Rodin presented a statue of a man called "The Bronze Age" which looked so natural that he was accused of casting his work on a living human model. When it turned out that this was not the case, Rodin gained great respect.

The works on display at the Rodin Museum

The interior design of the museum is quite elegant: marble stairs, wooden floors and decorated ceilings. The exhibition halls and gardens are scattered with many works, some of which have gained world fame. Most of Rodin's sculptures are figurative, full of life and breathtaking in their beauty. The white marble sculpture called "The Kiss" depicting a pair of embracing lovers caused a scandal at the time due to the claim that the woman appears to be possessed by passion, the nude sculpture of "John the Baptist" gave a great boost to Rodin's career and widespread public recognition. Many other works of his have gained worldwide fame, among which are: "The Cathedral", "Finger of God", "Eve", "The Bronze Age", "Portrait of Clemenceau", "Man Walking", "The Man with the Broken Nose" - all of these, and many others, are exhibited at the Hotel Biron.

The sculpture garden

The sculpture garden displays a number of famous sculptures that established Rodin's status. The peaceful and magnificent gardens surrounding the house, designed in the English style, are worth a visit in themselves, so those who are in a hurry or do not wish to enter the museum itself can enjoy and savor a wonderful romantic garden. These gardens, which surround the Hotel Biron, constitute the third largest private green space in Paris and are considered one of the city's most important treasures. The gardens display, as mentioned, some of Rodin's most well-known and important sculptures:

“The thinking person” (“The thinker”)

A statue that has become the universal symbol of philosophy was originally intended to be placed on a staircase. the pantheon, but the statue was rejected by the Paris municipality after the public objected to the nudity.

“Citizens of Calais” or in other words “The Bourgeoisie of Calais”

This statue depicts the surrender of Calais in 1347 to King Edward III of England (1327-1378). The king offered not to destroy the city if its six most distinguished citizens would come with ropes around their necks and give him the keys to the city and their lives. The statue depicts in detail each of those six dignitaries, who sacrificed their lives for the good of the city (in fact, the ending of the story was good because the Queen of England managed to convince Edward III to pardon the dignitaries).

“The Gates of Hell”

A special piece, six meters high and four meters wide, was commissioned for the entrance to the Museum of Decorative Arts, but the museum was never built and Rodin's work, which he worked on until the day of his death, remained unfinished. The sculpture features figures representing a scene from Dante's Inferno.

Camille Claudel

Camille Claudel, sister of the famous writer Paul Claudel, was Rodin's student, model, protégé, lover, and sculptor in her own right. The 20-year age difference did not prevent the development of a very long romance between them. The famous sculpture "The Kiss" was probably inspired by this love affair.

However, after the relationship with Rodin ended, her soul was shaken and she was hospitalized in a mental hospital for 30 years. However, as mentioned, Claudel was also a talented sculptor in her own right and in 1989 the city of Paris decided to allocate a special room in the museum for her works. Several of her sculptures are placed in the Musée d'Orsay alongside Rodin's works. If you would like to learn more about the life and works of Camille Claudel, I recommend that you read the article by Dr. Orna Lieberman The gold and the clay.

Works by the greats of the generation

Rodin kept his house and also bequeathed to the state collections of several famous painters. Thus, the museum can be found famous oil works by Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir. In addition to hundreds of Rodin sculptures, he also left behind a variety of paintings, watercolors, drawings, engravings and more. Some of Rodin's objects, tools and furniture are also displayed throughout the museum.

Rodin Museum – Tickets and Opening Hours

Rodin Museum Tickets

Here are some options for museum tickets (without waiting in line):

• Entrance ticket to the museum
• Combined ticket to the Rodin Museum and the Orsay Museum
• Combined ticket to the Rodin Museum and the Orangerie
• Combined ticket to Rodin and the Invalides Museum
• Guided tour of the Rodin Museum (in English)

Address, arrival and opening hours

Rodin Museum Located at 77 rue de Varenne, in the 7th arrondissement near the Invalides complex. Access via metro Varenne. The museum is open every day except Mondays from 10:00 to 18:30.