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The Gate of Hell (The Gate of Hell)

by Auguste Rodin (1880-1917)

[Source: AnalisiDellOpera.it ]

For almost thirty years, Auguste Rodin was engaged in the creation of: The Gate of Hell and the work became a true obsession for him. The Gate of Hell is a high-relief made up of 186 characters. At the top, there is a group called: Shadows. Instead the famous Thinker is on the trumeau. Conte Ugolino’s unsettling group is visible on the right wing. On the left you can see the statues of Paolo and Francesca. The first inspiration for the Gate of Hell was the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Gustave Dorè had already made a cycle of engravings in 1861 and Rodin initially kept these images in mind. Later the artist draws a lot of energy and ideas from his relationship with the young Camille Claudel. After illustrating Charles Baudelaire’s poems: “Flowers of Evil”, the French sculptor was inspired by the symbolistic climate of the work. Rodin decided to create a monumental sculpture, whose theme was dedicated to the circles of hell and among the damned in addition to Dante themes, Rodin sculpted the women he loved. Light affects the fraction of the sculpture differently than the material used. In the case of bronze fusion, the modeling of human figures acquire more volume. In fact, dark metal creates reflections and deep lightness. The visual weight of the entire work is greater than the plaster. In addition, the bronze color increases the sense of uneasiness and drama of the work.

Rodin designed his work to offer a frontal view, and the figures placed at the top were carefully shaped to offer an intense low view of the visitor. The element that most characterizes the structure of the Gate of Hell is symmetry. In the center is the central door. Above it stands the statue of: The Thinker, and beyond are the three nudes of Ombre. On the sides, the doors are decorated with smaller reliefs. The panels of the two doors present free composition. The figures seem to move within a fluid space that creates ascending and descending motions, rich in dynamism.

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