Figure volante, grand modèle, 1890/91

The work shows a female torso maintaining a complex pose. The muscular torso protrudes diagonally into space, while the rudiments of the vertical engaged leg gives the figure stability. The left leg hovers in the air, rotates outwards and is supported by the pressure of the arm. The opposing movements and the refined modeling of the surface invest the sculpture Flying Figure by the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) with dynamism and life. Though Rodin always based his sculptural practice on the physical, natural motif, he did not strive for an exact reproduction. To him, the torso became an important form, as it allowed him to heighten the expressive power through the incompleteness of the human body.

AK, 2021