Sitting semi-nude (Psyche) 

Curator: Here we have a pencil drawing titled "Sitting semi-nude (Psyche)" by Auguste Rodin. It's currently held at the Städel Museum. Editor: My initial impression is one of fragility. The lightness of the pencil on paper makes the figure seem almost ephemeral, as if she might vanish. Curator: The rapid, sketch-like quality underscores Rodin’s emphasis on capturing fleeting moments and the physicality of his models. We must consider the availability of paper, the cost of graphite at the time… These drawings were studies in the process of a much larger bronze undertaking. Editor: Right, but “Psyche,” as the title suggests, it conjures immediate associations. Psyche is the soul. Here, we see a vulnerable portrayal of interiority – eyes closed, arms protectively crossed. There is an intimacy in this depiction, an unveiled sense of vulnerability, reinforced by the fact that she's only "semi-nude". It allows access to the more internal ideas surrounding “soul.” Curator: A fair reading. Though, as a drawing, its status shifts when seen in relationship to his sculptural practice. Think of the working-class people that Rodin employed. And how he exploited those classes in his working practice. Editor: But her pose is self-contained, her face tilted slightly down in introspection, which reminds us of enduring symbols, a classical myth that touches upon universal anxieties surrounding inner life. What do you think this reveals about society's, or maybe just Rodin’s, fascination with women and vulnerability? Curator: The repetitive strokes constructing the drapery read to me less about vulnerability and more about speed of production within a sculptural practice… Graphite was increasingly available, after all, a technology helping expand and drive the machine that was Rodin’s studio. Editor: A darker view, certainly. It can be appreciated for both—a poignant exploration of inner self as much as the artist’s mechanical process, and also in terms of class… Maybe it speaks to a need to grapple with human experience beyond purely academic renderings? Curator: Precisely. The artwork provides space to explore materiality of drawing along with the class that helped produce the artist's studio at scale. Editor: Well, on one hand it makes you think and, on the other hand, feel... That’s not always an easy achievement.