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Contemplate the Thinker at the Musée Rodin in Paris
Published by Jason Hussong, Writer
Country: France 
The Experience
The Musee Rodin in Paris is the home of thousands of works of art by Auguste Rodin, a man considered by many to be one of the greatest and most revered artists in history. Undoubtedly his most famous work is a sculpture known as The Thinker. Copies of the work, large and small, are on display elsewhere, but there’s no better place to see the grand work of art than in Rodin’s own hometown of Paris, where he was born in 1840 to a working-class family. It is in Paris where he learned to become an artist, largely self-taught, and it is here, in what was once called the Hotel Biron, that he wished his work to be displayed.
The largest collection of Rodin’s drawings and sculptures are on display in the house, but The Thinker is easily the most popular sculpture in a garden full of great works. So many people in fact go to the Musee Rodin to see The Thinker that it has become one of the most popular museums in all of France, boasting an average of 500,000 visits a year, just behind the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and the Musee d’Orsay. And possibly just as surprising, it beats out the famed Picasso Museum of Paris.
The Thinker is the centerpiece of the 7.4 acre (three hectare) sculpture garden, which sits quietly in the heart of Paris in the shadows of the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon is entombed. The Thinker was initially modeled for another fantastic Rodin sculpture in 1880, The Gates of Hell, at 27.5 inches (700 mm), but was enlarged in 1902 and put on exhibit – the first of his works to be displayed in a public place. It was moved though in 1922 from the Pantheon to its present home, which was also once the home of the artist, at the present Musee Rodin.
A cast of The Thinker, originally entitled The Poet after Dante Alighieri, also sits at the tomb of Auguste Rodin at another home in Meudon, a suburb southwest of Paris. But it was at the Hotel Biron where he created his great works, all the while entranced with his surroundings. Rodin so loved the place even that he entrusted his collection and all rights to his works to the State on the condition that a museum be devoted to him at that site. The Parliament accepted his offer in 1916, but sadly he never saw his dream come to fruition as Rodin died two years before the museum’s opening in 1919.
Just as Auguste had originally intended The Thinker to look down upon The Gates of Hell, so did he mean for it to serve as his headstone. And there, at the Villa des Brillants in Meudon, it sits as a memorial to one of the greatest sculptors and artists in history, forever looking down on contemplating its creator. But, surrounded by the city garden and other great sculptures of his like Monument to Balzac and Monument to Victor Hugo, it is in Paris, where Rodin loved to create, that it is best to contemplate his most famous work – The Thinker.
The largest collection of Rodin’s drawings and sculptures are on display in the house, but The Thinker is easily the most popular sculpture in a garden full of great works. So many people in fact go to the Musee Rodin to see The Thinker that it has become one of the most popular museums in all of France, boasting an average of 500,000 visits a year, just behind the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and the Musee d’Orsay. And possibly just as surprising, it beats out the famed Picasso Museum of Paris.
The Thinker is the centerpiece of the 7.4 acre (three hectare) sculpture garden, which sits quietly in the heart of Paris in the shadows of the Hotel des Invalides where Napoleon is entombed. The Thinker was initially modeled for another fantastic Rodin sculpture in 1880, The Gates of Hell, at 27.5 inches (700 mm), but was enlarged in 1902 and put on exhibit – the first of his works to be displayed in a public place. It was moved though in 1922 from the Pantheon to its present home, which was also once the home of the artist, at the present Musee Rodin.
A cast of The Thinker, originally entitled The Poet after Dante Alighieri, also sits at the tomb of Auguste Rodin at another home in Meudon, a suburb southwest of Paris. But it was at the Hotel Biron where he created his great works, all the while entranced with his surroundings. Rodin so loved the place even that he entrusted his collection and all rights to his works to the State on the condition that a museum be devoted to him at that site. The Parliament accepted his offer in 1916, but sadly he never saw his dream come to fruition as Rodin died two years before the museum’s opening in 1919.
Just as Auguste had originally intended The Thinker to look down upon The Gates of Hell, so did he mean for it to serve as his headstone. And there, at the Villa des Brillants in Meudon, it sits as a memorial to one of the greatest sculptors and artists in history, forever looking down on contemplating its creator. But, surrounded by the city garden and other great sculptures of his like Monument to Balzac and Monument to Victor Hugo, it is in Paris, where Rodin loved to create, that it is best to contemplate his most famous work – The Thinker.
When to Go to Musee Rodin
As the saying goes, Paris in spring time. As everything is abloom, there's no better time to visit than in the spring.
The summer months are also a good time to visit Paris and the Musee Rodin, but more tourists, if that's possible, will flock to the city during the traditional vacation months. So if it's possible to go, the best time to visit would be during one of the shoulder seasons - spring or fall. Winter can certainly hold a charm too, but as a large part of the museum is outside, it can be a bit chilly of a visit.
The summer months are also a good time to visit Paris and the Musee Rodin, but more tourists, if that's possible, will flock to the city during the traditional vacation months. So if it's possible to go, the best time to visit would be during one of the shoulder seasons - spring or fall. Winter can certainly hold a charm too, but as a large part of the museum is outside, it can be a bit chilly of a visit.
Odds n' Ends
Plan ahead when heading to Paris; there are so many great museums that it is actually possible to overdose. Space out the visits to the various museums, including the Musee Rodin, so as not to try to fit too much fantastic art in on any one day. By doing so, it will certainly help with the appreciation of such amazing works, like "The Thinker."
Also try to plan your time in town around certain areas. The Metro is a great and easy way to get around, but it's a good idea to maximize your time by staying in certain areas of town each day opposed to bouncing back and forth. And there's lots to see, like Napoleon's Tomb and the Hotel des Invalides, around the Musee Rodin.
Also try to plan your time in town around certain areas. The Metro is a great and easy way to get around, but it's a good idea to maximize your time by staying in certain areas of town each day opposed to bouncing back and forth. And there's lots to see, like Napoleon's Tomb and the Hotel des Invalides, around the Musee Rodin.
Want a Guide?
- Paris Muse
- Rodin: The Man and His Monuments. 1.5-hour tour. 4 person maximum.
Places to Stay Nearby
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The Palais Bourbon hotel is located right in the centre of Paris, in a historical and quiet district, near the Invalides museum, Napoleon's grave and ... 0 miles away
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The hotel De Varenne offers one of the most outstanding location in the heart of Paris, next to the Invalides, La Concorde and the Rodin ... 0 miles away
$90 EUR+
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Books and DVDs
- Rodin: His Art and His Inspiration
- In this exquisitely illustrated volume, leading Rodin scholars share new insights on Rodin’s work. Stunning new photographs of sculptures include The Thinker and The Walking Man as well as lesser-known (but no less dramatic) works; the book also includes intriguing photographs by Rodin and his contemporaries.
- Rodin - The Gates of Hell
- This DVD documents the triumphs and difficulties encountered during the casting of this eight-ton work and chronicles the life and work of Rodin –from the challengers of his early career to his later years of success and fame.
Elsewhere on the Web
- Musée Rodin
- Welcome. This website is the only official site on Rodin admitted by the musée Rodin of Paris. The musée Rodin is a national museum, an external service of the Direction des musées de France of the Ministry of Culture and Communication.
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