- Title: Rodin marble masterpiece "Andromeda" up for auction in Paris
- Date: 30th May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - MARCH 17, 2017) (REUTERS) AUGUSTE RODIN'S MARBLE SCULPTURE 'ANDROMEDA' ROTATING ENGRAVING ON SCULPTURE READING: "RODIN 1887" SCULPTURE FACE OF SCULPTURE PEOPLE TALKING IN FRONT OF SCULPTURE SCULPTURE (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF ARTCURIAL'S IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART DEPARTMENT, BRUNO JAUBERT, SAYING: "What makes the rather exceptional characteristic of this one, of 'Andromeda', is that it stayed in the same family for 130 years. Meaning the family who received it as a present from Rodin in 1888, from generation to generation, conserved it until 2017" BOARD WITH HISTORY OF SCULPTURE READING (French): "IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR 130 YEARS" (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF ARTCURIAL'S IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART DEPARTMENT, BRUNO JAUBERT, SAYING: "What is also very interesting in the treatment of this sculpture is that the base is left untreated, but in contrast, all the description of the young girl, of 'Andromeda', is extremely refined, and extremely sensual, extremely delicate. That gives it precisely this sense of being alive, and not frozen in wait of action, but in contrast, living. That's what makes all of Rodin's art." SCULPTURE ROTATING
- Embargoed: 13th June 2017 15:26
- Keywords: sculpture marble auction Rodin Auguste Artcurial Andromeda
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016J16VYX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French sculptor Auguste Rodin's marble masterpiece "Andromeda", which has been in the hands of the same family in Spain for 130 years, is set to be auctioned in Paris on Tuesday evening (May 30).
Two of auction house Artcurial's associate directors stumbled over the rare Rodin marble piece during an inventory of unrelated items. It is estimated to fetch between 800,000 euros ($894,200) and 1.2 million euros ($1.3 million) in Tuesday's auction.
One of the directors who discovered the Rodin, Bruno Jaubert, who is head of Artcurial's Impressionist and Modern Art department, recounted the sculpture's unusual story to Reuters TV in March.
In 1888, Rodin was approached by friend Carlos Lynch de Morla, a Chilean diplomat living in Paris, who asked him to create a sculpture of his young wife, Luisa.
The resulting work received such acclaim after its exhibition in the Salon National des Beaux-Arts that same year, that the French state wanted to acquire the sculpture for its national collection of contemporary art.
The diplomat agreed to relinquish the marble bust, which can be found today at the Musee d'Orsay, and in exchange, Rodin offered his friend the "Andromeda".
Art historians were aware of the sculpture's existence but had lost trace of it over the years, while it passed through the hands of the same family and ended up in Spain.
What makes "Andromeda" so unique, according to Jaubert, is Rodin's very modern portrayal of classical iconography.
Instead of depicting the Greek mythological beauty Andromeda upright, on the verge of being sacrificed and devoured by a sea monster as is more conventional, Rodin captured a moment of strong psychological angst, in an "extremely sensual, extremely delicate" way, Jaubert said.
It is the first time Artcurial will sell a Rodin work of such importance.
"Andromeda" was exhibited at Artcurial in Paris from March 18 to 28, coinciding with the centenary of the French sculptor's death. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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