This weekend, take a bucolic pause by following Auguste Rodin's steps through an inspiring stroll through the Musée Rodin gardens.
Follow in Rodin's footsteps
This space-time journey begins in the main courtyard of the Musée Rodin. As well as the traditional building and gardens visit, you can now discover a completely different aspect of the artist's life. This step back in time begins with a selection of photographs from when Auguste Rodin lived at the Hôtel Biron, between 1908 and 1917. You can see the sculptor on the steps of his house, in his office, and in his garden… These little slices of life plunge you into the early 20th-century ambience. In the undergrowth, between the green alleys and among the bronze Victor Hugo and Burghers of Calais statues, the photographs document the garden's evolution before Rodin settled there. Becoming a museum after the sculptor's death, the Hôtel Biron underwent major renovations to become the building we know today. Images dating from 1927 show the changes and improvements to the building and its exterior. In total, 35 exceptional photographs and excerpts from the museum's collection are scattered along the promenade's luminous paths. Rarely exhibited, the prints were mostly commissioned by Auguste Rodin himself. Far from the age of social networks, the artist sought to document his artistic process, the creation of his works, and promote himself.
To finish the walk, four photographers who turned their lenses to Rodin are displayed in the garden next to these historic images: Jacques-Ernest Bulloz, Stephen Haweis & Henry Coles, Charles Bodmer, and Eugène Druet. In the sunbathed alleys, this unique rediscovery of the Musée Rodin gardens brings an extra touch to a timeless visit.
Musée Rodin, 77, Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris, until 29 November 2020 www.musee-rodin.fr/
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