Selling cast bronzes of Rodin sculptures could give lifeline to struggling Paris museum
Record ID:
1561222
Selling cast bronzes of Rodin sculptures could give lifeline to struggling Paris museum
- Title: Selling cast bronzes of Rodin sculptures could give lifeline to struggling Paris museum
- Date: 7th July 2020
- Summary: SIGN FOR MUSEUM ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF RODIN'S "THE KISS" SCULPTURE WORKER PREPARING EXHIBITION ROOM BEFORE MUSEUM RE-OPENING SCULPTURE FLOWERS IN GARDEN (SOUNDBITE) (French) RODIN MUSEUM DIRECTOR, CATHERINE CHEVILLOT, SAYING: "Our expectations in terms of visitor turnout are not so high because of the context, but the Rodin museum is particular because it is self-financed, as wished by Rodin, who gave the government not only his collection, his material belongings, but also his copyrights. So we do not have government subsidies apart for construction works and bigger upkeep projects. That's why the COVID-19 crisis for us will lead to significant losses financially, costing us around 4.4 million (euros) which will be partly compensated for by our other revenue sources." PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) SIGN OUTSIDE MUSEUM READING (French and English): "The Musee Rodin is open" MUSEUM VARIOUS OF VISITORS PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 6, 2020) (REUTERS) RODIN SCULPTURE "THE THINKER" IN GARDEN PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) "THE THINKER" SCULPTURE MAN TAKING PICTURES INVALIDES DOME PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 6, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) RODIN MUSEUM DIRECTOR, CATHERINE CHEVILLOT, SAYING: "This year, we have considerable resources which are down to our continuous activity of making bronze casts of original pieces, which will in part compensate for these losses. Also, we'll have access to our reserve which has been built up for several years - for the last 100 years actually - by resources of original editions of bronze pieces." PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DETAILS OF RODIN'S "THE GATES OF HELL" PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 6, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHEVILLOT LOOKING AT "THE GATES OF HELL" (SOUNDBITE) (French) RODIN MUSEUM DIRECTOR, CATHERINE CHEVILLOT, SAYING: "This copy of "The Gates of Hell" dates back to the 1920s. It's been cast for the museum, and so it is in the museum's inventory, and since it's part of a national collection, it will not leave this place. We've already sold seven (bronze casts of "The Gates of Hell"), plus this one, that makes eight. So, we can cast another four. Right now, two of them are in the United States, one in Switzerland, one in South Korea, two in Japan, and so a bit scattered around the world." CAST BRONZE OF RODIN'S "APHRODITE", WHOSE ORIGINAL COPY SOLD FOR 2 MILLION EUROS IN 2015 PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) STATUE VISITORS IN GARDEN PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 6, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) RODIN MUSEUM DIRECTOR, CATHERINE CHEVILLOT, SAYING: "We're worried because we know that we won't return to normal on January 1, 2021. We know that the year 2021 will be difficult, and with my colleagues, we project the normal situation will return only after two or three years. So of course, we'll have several difficult years, 2021 and 2022 certainly."
- Embargoed: 21st July 2020 13:48
- Keywords: France Paris Rodin museum bronze re-opening sculptures
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA002CLTA3BB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Rodin museum in Paris reopened on Tuesday (July 7) and is hoping the sale of limited-edition cast bronzes of work by the 19th-century sculptor will help make up some of its financial losses from a fall in visitor numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The museum, which is self-financed, has always earned money through the sale of bronzes and has a target to sell 3 million euros worth each year, director Catherine Chevillot said. Buyers range from museums worldwide to art collectors.
Home of Auguste Rodin masterpieces such as "The Kiss" and "The Thinker", the museum was allowed by Rodin to cast and sell bronzes after his death.
It must, however, limit original editions to 12 casts, meaning pieces like "The Thinker" can no longer be cast while four more editions of "The Gates of Hell" can go on sale.
The museum, which opened to the public in 1919, and its three-hectare sculpture park attracted 570,000 visitors last year. About 75% were foreign tourists.
But with France's borders still closed to many foreign tourists, notably Americans, and with social distancing in place, it expects visitor numbers to fall to 200,000 this year.
The museum expects a revenue shortfall of 4.4 million euros this year because of the pandemic's impact on visitor numbers and other sources of revenue, Chevillot said.
Usually, the museum draws 3.8 million euros from ticket sales, 1.5 million euros from its souvenir shop and one million euros from renting the location each year.
The French government began easing its lockdown measures from mid-May and cultural venues are slowly reopening. The Musee d'Orsay reopened on June 23 and the Louvre museum on July 6.
(Production: Melodie Sforza, Emilie Delwarde, Ardee Napolitano) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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