Is the Thinker at the Rodin Museum?
 

I'm going to Paris for the first time this fall. I thought that The Thinker was in the Rodin Museum, but someone who returned from Paris about 2 weeks ago said it's been moved permanently to Baltimore-??? Is this correct?

Well, it was sure there in April when I was in Paris.

The Rodin exhibit, including "The Thinker," is at the North Carolina Art Museum in Raleigh through August. Sorry.

Uh, isn't there more than one casting of a lot of Rodin sculptures (not that they aren't all special in their own ways)?

Bingo, Martha! There are about ten or twelve castings of the Thinker scattered around. They include the ones in Paris, at the Rodin Museum in Philadephia, and on the Staford University Campus.

There are indeed casts of many of Rodin's sculptures scattered all over the place, Philadelphia's Rodin Museum has many. You'll find the Burghers of Calais in the Rodin Museum in Paris, Calais and any number of other places. To put your mind at ease, when you go to the Hotel Biron in Paris (Rodin Museum) look for the massive Porte de L'Enfer (Gate of Hell).o3e Gate of Hell. Perched over the doors above the myriad tormented torsos you'll find the Thinker. Look also for La Danaide, one of his loveliest marble pieces. Its model was Camille Claudel, a highly talented sculptress in her own right

An interesting spot for a replica of 'The Thinker' can be seen in the Varenne subway stop in Paris. <BR> <BR>Did see the original last year at the Rodin Museum --- okay, I'll admit it - couldn't help but think of "Dobie Gillis". <BR>[So, I'm a part of the American baby boomer, TV generation.] <BR>

I posted an inquiry on the AOL France board. Someone who visited the Musee Rodin last Saturday reported that "The Thinker" is still there. Note that this is a fabulous photo op with the Tour Eiffel in the background. As mentioned above, French laws were passed authorizing limited numbers of copies in various sizes of many of Rodin's works in various mediums (bronze, marble, etc.).

Not to fear. The Thinker is still in the Rodin Museum. Which by the way is a great place to visit. We have a casting of The Thinker at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

As soon as I can get a babysitter, my wife and I will visit the exhibit mentioned in Raleigh, NC, since we live 1/2 an hour away. The original separate version of the thinker is at the Musee Rodin, and yes it is located for a great photo-op with the golden dome of Les Invalides in the background. This and other sculptures were first incorporated as parts of another work, the Gates of Hell, which you will also find at the museum. When the exhibit started here in NC, the Raleigh newspaper enclosed a special section on Rodin. From what I have read, Rodin's sculptures were and are copied, using the original molds. Rodin had this done himself until he died. He donated his works to the government with the stipulation that a museum be established at the Hotel Biron, where Rodin and other artists had lived at various times. By grant of the French government, the museum has the right to reproduce up to 12? of each work. The museum is very strict who gets the sculptures. I think one restriction is that no more than one of each will be in the same country. You might want to take a look at the museum's web site at www.musee-rodin.fr.