Nero 1900 - 1910

Rodin sketched this watercolor called Nero on paper, and just like his sculptures, it feels like he was carving out forms, not just drawing them. The washes of color and graphite are like ghosts, barely there, until they suddenly define the curve of a shoulder or the mass of hair. Look at the way the graphite swirls around the figure, almost like a cloud. It’s not just shading; it’s like he’s mapping the energy around her. Then you see these little pops of watercolor – pinks, yellows, blues – that feel like afterthoughts, yet they totally make the piece. That scribbled nest at the bottom? Is it a chair? A pet? Who knows! Rodin’s Nero reminds me of Twombly’s work, where the process of making is as much the subject as the figure itself. This piece isn't about perfection. It's about searching, feeling, and letting the messiness be part of the story.