Auguste RODIN Lot n° 310

Auguste RODIN (1840-1917), Petite Ombre de La Porte de l'Enfer, also known as Petite Ombre n°1. Model designed circa 1885 Cast in 1943 Bronze with nuanced brown patina. Signed "A. Rodin". Bears the founder's mark "ALEXIS RUDIER FONDEUR PARIS" . Stamped "A. RODIN " inside. H. 31.4 cm. Provenance: Musée Rodin, Paris; M. Quintallina, Paris, on behalf of Dr. Guimarès, Rio de Janeiro (acquired from the above, January 1944); Galerie Spicilège, Paris, circa 1982; Collection Jean-Yves et Sylviane Lazard, Paris (by reputation, acquired at public auction in the 1980s on an undetermined date). By descent. This work will be included in the Catalogue Critique de l'œuvre Sculpté d'Auguste Rodin currently being prepared by the Rodin Committee, under number 2022-6677B. Related literature : - Antoinette Le Normand-Romain, The Bronzes of Rodin, Catalogue of works in the Musée Rodin, Paris, RMN, 2007, vol. 2, pp. 573-575; - Antoinette Le Norman-Romain, Rodin, la Porte de l'Enfer, Paris, Musée Rodin, 2002; - Ionel Jianou, Cécile Goldscheider, Rodin, Paris, Arted, 1967, p. 90 ; - Georges Grappe, Catalogue du Musée Rodin, Paris, musée Rodin, 1927, model listed under no. 121. Other examples in public collections: - Auguste Rodin, Petite Ombre de la Porte de l'Enfer, Petite Ombre n°1, circa 1885, bronze, cast by Alexis Rudier, H. 30 x W. 14 x D. 10 cm, Lyon, Musée des Beaux-Arts, bequest by Dr. Tripier in 1917, inv. B1153bis-p ; - Auguste Rodin, Petite Ombre, 1885, bronze, H. 31.5 x W. 14 x D. 12 cm, Kurashiki (Japan), Ohara Museum of Art, gift of Rodin, 1911; - Auguste Rodin, Petite Ombre n°1, 1885, bronze, cast by Alexis Rudier, H. 31.8 x W. 13.3 x D. 9.5 cm, New Haven, Yale University art gallery, inv. 1956.15.1. La Petite Ombre, created by Rodin in 1885, is part of the artist's lifelong reflection on the Porte de l'Enfer. It is one of the figures integrated at the top of the left-hand panel of La Porte de l'Enfer. Perhaps Auguste Rodin was inspired by his Eve of 1881, whose pose he partially repeated. Auguste Rodin entrusted the translation of his model into bronze to Alexis Rudier, and a first edition of thirteen was cast between 1906 and 1911. Between 1919 and 1945, Alexis Rudier produced four more copies, including the one presented here, cast in November 1943. Georges Rudier took over the edition and seven final copies were cast between 1958 and 1966. Expert: Cabinet Lacroix-Jeannest.