The Shade, first modeled ca. 1880, enlarged ca. 1901, this cast 1969
Bronze
Auguste Rodin
French, 1840-1917
Crowning The Gates of Hell are triplicates of the figure of The Shade, seen from three directions. In classical literature, a “shade” is another name for a spirit or ghost. In Dante’s Divine Comedy, the Shades (the souls of the damned) stood at the entrance to Hell. In keeping with their persona, Rodin depicts a tormented figure with the head bent down in such an exaggerated way that the neck and shoulders seem to almost align horizontally.
The sculpture was a reworking of the form of Adam, which, along with its pendant Eve, (displayed nearby) was originally intended to flank the Gates. Rodin frequently reworked his sculptures to create new forms, and with The Shade went so far as to repeat the same exact sculpture three times so as to be seen from three separate angles.
Gift of B. Gerald Cantor Art Foundation, M.73.108.1
Visual Description: This is a bronze sculpture of a nude male shade, one of the souls that, according to Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, was condemned to spend eternity in Hell. The sculpture is over six feet tall and has a dark green patina. The shade’s head lays on his left shoulder, creating a strong horizontal line along his right shoulder and neck. He wears a tortured expression on his face and his left arm is extended down, pointing at what lies below
