Torso 

This bronze torso was made by Auguste Rodin sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Rodin was interested in the human form, particularly its capacity to convey raw emotion. He often left his sculptures seemingly unfinished, with rough surfaces and incomplete limbs. Here, the bronze material is key. Rodin wasn't actually a bronze caster himself; that was the work of skilled artisans who could translate his clay or plaster models into metal. But he cared deeply about the final effect. The dark, almost viscous surface of this sculpture, with its interplay of light and shadow, lends it a sense of weight and presence. There's also a social dimension to consider. Rodin was working at a time when traditional sculptural techniques were being challenged by industrialization. By emphasizing the handmade quality of his work, he was staking a claim for the importance of human skill and creativity in a rapidly changing world. Ultimately, it's the fusion of material, process, and social context that makes this torso so compelling.