Head of Balzac c. early 1897th century

This is Auguste Rodin’s bronze sculpture, Head of Balzac. Rodin approached sculpture a bit like painting, building up surfaces stroke by stroke. The tactile quality in the bronze is really important. Look at the way the light catches the surface, each mark seems to be caught in its own play of light and shadow. The head itself is like a landscape, formed from individual moments of action and decision. Notice the way the hair frames the face, each strand a testament to Rodin’s attention. Think about how Rodin allows the bronze to exist in a state of flux, as if the head is in the process of becoming. There’s a rawness to the surface here that feels really contemporary. In some ways I feel like you could compare this to the work of Medardo Rosso, who was also obsessed with the materiality of sculpture, and pushing the boundaries of what it could be. Art is just an ongoing conversation.