Touring Rodin Museum

Author: Florence

Let’s embark on a virtual French English bilingual visit of the Rodin Museum, a small and gorgeous museum & garden located in central Paris.

1 – Visiting Rodin Museum: L’Hîtel Biron

Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below or just click here.

L’hĂŽtel particulier Biron abrite sur deux Ă©tages une grande partie de l’Ɠuvre de Auguste Rodin. C’est en 1908 que le sculpteur emmĂ©nage dans cet hĂŽtel particulier oĂč il travaille et vit parmi d’autres artistes tels que Matisse et Cocteau.

The Biron mansion hosts a large part of the work of Auguste Rodin. He moves in 1908 in this HĂŽtel particulier in this place where he works and lives among others artists such as Matisse and Cocteau.

Touring Rodin Museum - French Sculpture Vocabulary

A partir de 1911, il devient le seul locataire de ce superbe hĂŽtel particulier oĂč il reçoit des invitĂ©s de prestige. De ses immenses fenĂȘtres l’artiste aime contempler le jardin et ses bosquets. Il y installe d’ailleurs quelques-unes de ses Ɠuvres.

From 1911, he becomes the only tenant of this prestigious mansion where he invites prestigious people. He likes to admire the garden and its coppice from the large windows. Actually, he sets there some of his major pieces of work. Read about French sculpting vocabulary on FrenchToday.

DÚs 1919, soit deux ans aprÚs sa mort, le lieu devient le musée Rodin.

From 1919, only two years after its death, the place becomes the Rodin museum.

Touring Rodin Museum - French Sculpture Vocabulary

2 – The Garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris

Je retrouve Bellinda mon Ă©tudiante australienne, dans le jardin Ă  l’entrĂ©e du musĂ©e. Nous avons rendez-vous pour une visite du musĂ©e Rodin dans un français accessible Ă  son niveau prĂ©-intermĂ©diaire. Pas de visite de Paris sans visite du jardin enchanteur du musĂ©e Rodin. C’est une Ă©tape presque obligatoire.

I meet up with Bellinda, my Australian student in the garden at the entrance of the museum. Vous meet there for a visit of the MusĂ©e Rodin, using an appropriate French language for her pre-intermediate level. No visit of Paris without the visit of its enchanting garden. It’s a must be seen stop.

On trouve dans le jardin certaines des sculptures les plus cĂ©lĂšbres de l’artiste telles que Le Penseur, La Porte de l’Enfer, Les Bourgeois de Calais.

You’ll find in the garden some of his most famous sculptures such as Le Penseur, La Porte de l’Enfer, Les Bourgeois de Calais.

Touring Rodin Museum - French Sculpture Vocabulary

L’atmosphĂšre bucolique de ce grand parc donne l’impression d’ĂȘtre Ă  la campagne. Vous pouvez y voir une roseraie, une grande terrasse et un bassin. Il est trĂšs agrĂ©able d’y pique-niquer en Ă©tĂ© ou simplement se d’asseoir quelques minutes sur un banc.

The bucolic atmosphere of this big parc gives you the sens that you are in the countryside. You can admire a rose garden, a big terrace and a pond. It’s great to have a picnic there or just to sit for a few minutes on a bench.

Touring Rodin Museum - French Sculpture Vocabulary

3 – Rodin’s Famous Sculpture: Le Penseur

Mais Ă  quoi pense Le Penseur ? L’Ɠuvre iconique la plus connue de Auguste Rodin en bronze crĂ©Ă©e en 1888 est aussi la plus mystĂ©rieuse. Le Penseur semble reprĂ©senter un esprit fort dans un corps musclĂ© d’athlĂšte.

But what is Le Penseur thinking ? The iconic and the most famous piece of work from Auguste Rodin in bronze created in 1888 remains the most mysterious. Le Penseur seems to represent a powerful spirit inside a athlete’s body.

D’abord rĂ©alisĂ© pour une autre Ɠuvre de Rodin La Porte de l’Enfer, Le Penseur s’appelait au dĂ©but Le PoĂšte. Rodin s’est inspirĂ© de La Divine ComĂ©die de Dante et l’on peut voir le Penseur comme un ĂȘtre penchĂ© en avant mĂ©ditant sur les cercles de l’enfer. Mais peut-ĂȘtre est-ce une reprĂ©sentation de l’artiste lui-mĂȘme ?

First created as part of another piece of work La Porte de l’Enfer, Le Penseur « The Thinker Â» was first named Le PoĂšte « The Poet Â». Rodin was inspired by La Divine ComĂ©die from Dante and we can Le Penseur as a human being meditating on the circles of hell. But maybe we should see a representation of the artist himself ?

Agrandie en 1904, il existe aujourd’hui une centaine de Penseurs de diffĂ©rentes tailles dans le monde.

Enlarged in 1904, there are now about one hundred Penseurs across the world of different sizes.

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4 – Rodin’s Famous Sculpture: Le Baiser

Cette sculpture en marbre reprĂ©sentant un homme et une femme qui s’embrassent symbolise le thĂšme universel de l’amour. Pour crĂ©er cette sculpture Rodin s’est inspirĂ© d’une histoire vraie.

This sculpture in marble that represents a man and a woman kissing symbolize the universal theme of love. To create this sculpture Rodin found the inspiration in a true story.

Au XIIù siùcle, Paolo Malatesta et Francesca da Rimini, deux personnages de l’Enfer de Dante sont surpris par le mari de Francesca. Le mari jaloux les assassine.

In the 12th century, Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini, two characters from L’Enfer de Dante are surprised by Francesca’s husband while kissing. The jealous husband murders them.

Camille Claudel, sculptrice talentueuse, collaboratrice, muse et maĂźtresse de Rodin a inspirĂ© Ă  l’artiste ses sculptures les plus lyriques dont le Baiser. Elle y a d’ailleurs aussi travaillĂ©.

Camille Claudel, talented sculptor, collaborator, muse and mistress of Rodin has inspired to the artist his most lyrical sculptures. Le Baiser is one of them. She also worked on the sculpture.

Touring Rodin Museum - French Sculpture Vocabulary
Camille and Olivier kissing in front of “Le Baiser” (I couldn’t resist
)

Le Baiser a d’abord Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ© en plĂątre, en terre cuite puis en bronze. Comme Rodin ne savait pas sculpter dans le marbre, il a Ă©tĂ© aidĂ© pour la rĂ©alisation de la version marbre de trois assistants sculpteurs.

Le Baiser was first made in plaster, then in terracotta and in bronze. As Rodin didn’t master the technique of sculpture in marble, he has been supported for the marble version by three sculptors assistants.

Le premiùre version en marbre de grande taille du Baiser apparaüt pour la premiùre fois au Salon de Paris en 1898, 10 ans aprùs sa commande officielle par l’Etat français.

The first version in marble of large size of Le Baiser was first been presented at Le Salon de Paris in 1898, ten years after his officiel order by the French government.

5 – Rodin Museum – Practical Information

Address :
77 rue de Varennes
75007 Paris

MĂ©tro : Varenne (line 13) ou Invalides (line 13, line 8)
RER : Invalides (line C)
Bus : 69, 82, 87, 92

Le Musée Rodin opens all days except Mondays from 10 am to 5.45 pm

To avoid a long file, I recommend you plan your visit at lunchtime (the museum is open, there are even food stands in the garden, and in my experience, there is much fewer people then) and buy your ticket online.

On your next visit to Paris, why not enjoy a private visit of the Rodin Museum in French and practice your French at the same time which a French Conversation Tour? Especially selected by French Today, your native French teacher also speaks English fluently, and will share with you the secrets of Paris.

Author: Florence

Florence

Bonjour à tous ! I am a « Parisienne » with the eyes turned toward abroad. I feel both like a native and an expat. I have a passion for French language as well as an endless curiosity for Paris.

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