Heroic Bust of Victor Hugo (1802-1885), first modeled 1890-1897 or 1901-1902, this cast 1967
Bronze on marble socle
Auguste Rodin
French, 1840-1917
In 1889, Rodin was commissioned to create a monument for the recently deceased author Victor Hugo for the Panthéon in Paris. Rodin’s initial plan was to depict Hugo seated, surrounded by Muses, but that idea was rejected by the committee. Rodin, however, continued working on this version (which was ultimately installed in the gardens of the Palais-Royal in 1909), while simultaneously working on a standing sculpture of Hugo for the Panthéon, which was never fully completed.
Gift of the B. Gerald Cantor Art Foundation, M.73.108.18
Visual Description: This is a bronze bust portraying the chest and head of the French writer, Victor Hugo. The bust is almost two and a half feet tall and has a vibrant green color. Hugo is depicted as an older man, with receding, curly hair, bushy eyebrows, and a thick moustache and beard. His head is tilted downward, creating a dramatic play of shadow on his shoulders and face. Hugo’s bare chest and shoulders are exposed.
