$26,070
Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917) La Danseuse en Position Attitude sur Demi Pointe, c. 1900-1905 Signed "Rodin" in pencil l.r., inscribed "The Whistler Memorial" in pencil on the reverse. Watercolor on paper, sheet size 22 7/8 x 17 in. (58.1 x 43.2 cm), framed. Condition: Subtle toning and mat burn. Provenance: From the collection of Mrs. Emily Crane Chadbourne, Chicago, Illinois, by descent within the family. N.B. Within the stylistic chronology of Rodin's drawings, the present work is characteristic of his late period (roughly 1895-1915). Kirk Varnedoe in "The Continuous Line: Modes and Meanings of Rodin's Draftsmanship" notes that during this time, Rodin broke from his earlier drawing practices which were conceptual and painterly, toward an approach that was visual and linear. He began to practice a fixed-gaze technique, where he captured his model's spontaneous gestures without looking at his paper. Of this technique, Rodin explained, "Don't you see that, for my work of modeling, I have not only to possess a complete knowledge of the human form, but also a deep feeling for every aspect of it?...All this must flow naturally from my eye to my hand. Only then can I be certain that I understand…The moment I drop my eyes that flow stops." (1) Rodin would then create a finished work by tracing the main contours of a gestural study onto a new sheet, highlighting the linearity of the figure's movement. A delicate sienna or terra-cotta watercolor wash, such as in
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2008-09-12
