The Bronzes of Rodin: Catalogue of Works in the Musée Rodin

This is a comprehensive catalogue raisonne in two volumes of the 455 bronzes by Auguste Rodin held in the collection of the Musee Rodin, Paris. Each entry has been researched in depth and appears alphabetically according to its original title. Inventory numbers are listed followed by a technical description: the type of cast and the metal founder. Provenance and history are given along with a mention of successive editions and other known casts in international collections. A thorough commentary explaining the creation and evolution of the sculpture is provided for each piece. The catalogue is prefaced by four essays on themes that have not been traditionally considered. The relationship between Rodin and the founders follows the introduction. Crucial to this project was the support of the Gerald B. Cantor Foundation, which owns 750 works by Rodin including letters and prints and drawings executed by the sculptor. Ruth Butler explores the close contact and mutual assistance between the Foundation and the Musee Rodin. In an unusual approach to the study of Rodin, Regis Cusinberche looks at the laws and jurisprudence governing bronze casts and the rights of the sculptor's estate. There are over 1000 illustrations, many of which show work not previously published. The only other comparative catalogue was published in 1976. These volumes are set to surpass this out-of-date work as well as highlighting original angles on Rodin's output. They are thorough, accessible volumes which will prove to be invaluable tools for scholars. Distributed by Lund Humphries in association with the Reunion des Musees Nationaux.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Foreword; The Cantor and Rodin; Rodin and the bronze; Foundry techniques; Original bronzes; Catalogue; Chronology; Bibliography; Exhibitions; Index.

About the Author :
Antoinette le Normand-Romain is the former general curator of sculpture at the Musee Rodin and managing director of the Institut national d'histoire de l'art.

Review :
'Published 90 years after Auguste Rodin's death, this catalogue raisonne of his bronzes is a major contribution to the study of art history and a prime example of scholarly work executed with care, expertise, and devotion. Le Normand-Romain (curator, Musee Rodin, Paris) details all casts of the works and variations in other forms and media as well as includes extensive information about the foundries employed, the people involved in every step of the process, and the artists with whom Rodin worked. A member of the Paris Bar offers a legal perspective on the museum's role in producing and marketing reproductions. The works are listed alphabetically by their original French titles; entries include such information as title, date of creation, inventory number, size, signature, inscriptions, provenance, references to catalogs from both the Musee du Luxembourg and the Musee Rodin, and exhibitions in which the works have appeared. Each entry concludes with a short commentary on the work that places it in historical and artistic context as well as with bibliographical references. Well ordered and accessible, with superb photographs, this represents a landmark in museum publishing and deserves a place in every art, academic, and large public collection'.-Library Journal 'Antoinette Le Normand-Romain is recognized as the foremost Rodin scholar... the book will have a long life and many readers.' Comments by Catherine Lampert, curator of the Rodin exhibition at the Royal Academy, London 'an invaluable and much anticipated resource both for scholars tracking down details on specific works and for enthusiasts seeking to enrich their knowledge of the range of Rodin's sculptural creation ... Highly recommended'. Choice 2008