In France, for the first time presents the previously unknown work of Rodin
The sculpture “I am beautiful” is dated by specialists 1885.
PARIS, March 31. /Offset. TASS Mikhail Timofeev/. In Pau (southwest of France) on public display for the first time exposed to an unknown work of the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917).
This 72-inch statue entitled “I am beautiful”, which, as experts believe, to 1885.
Notre dernière découverte classée Trésor National sur décision du Ministère de la Culture. Auguste Rodin’s “Je suis Belle” 1885. Plâtre 72 cm. pic.twitter.com/l3MuTtGGCj
— Gestas & Carrère (@GestasCarrere) 19 Mar 2017
Work, experts believe, was created by the sculptor under the impression from the poem “Beauty” of the very popular in those years, a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire “Flowers of evil”. The sculptor had taken the initial stanza of “O death! like a dream of stone, I’m beautiful!”.
Je Suis Belle
Auguste Rodin, 1882 pic.twitter.com/gwxYh5uEkK
— anna cerofolini (@annacerofolini) March 3, 2017
The composition comprises a naked muscular man, who raised his hands curled up in a ball woman. Apparently, this is a preparatory work for one of the sculptures appearing at the famous Rodin “the Gates of hell.”
Detail of the sculpture “the Gates of hell”
The sculptor, according to experts on his work, in this case did so, as he had done many times in the past: combined with the track “Beauty” two previously created work: “the Falling man” and “Curled up in a ball woman.”
Je suis belle Auguste Rodin pic.twitter.com/KvdTyvuEcD
— Hélène ❀♡ॐ (@Helenejamesse) November 16, 2014
The discovery was made quite by accident. The statue originally belonged to an elderly woman who lived in one of the homes for the elderly. After her death in 2013, all of her things were deposited in local specialized furniture warehouse.
After it became clear that none of her relatives at that time did not show up and not told of their rights, all these things came to the examination of experts from the local auction house in April 2016. They are found at the base of the statue unobtrusive signature of Rodin. Further examination revealed on the plaster and the fingerprints of the master. Work on the attribution lasted four months.
Unknown work presented to the public in the year that marks one hundred years since the death of the sculptor. This work by Rodin is estimated at €700 thousand of the French Ministry of culture has declared it a national treasure, which prohibits the export of the country over the next 30 months.
After it became known about detection of sculptures appeared distant relatives of the deceased owner. Now they have to deal with the difficult question of inheritance masterpiece.