Nelson-Atkins Museum is a famous art museum in Kansas City and especially draws crowds for its extensive collection of Asian art. The essay discusses “Head of Shade with Two Hands” by one of the most prominent sculptors of the 19th century, Auguste Rodin (Rodin: Sculptures from the Iris 2016). Rodin earned praise for his highly expressive sculptures of the human body and his unconventional techniques for modeling his sculptures. His sculptures convey universal emotions such as longing, love and despair. . Rodin liked to use naturalism as a powerful, expressive element in his work.
Head of Shade with Two Hands - modeled ca. 1910 The magnificent sculpture in bronze promotes an understanding of the artist’s style of working and his attempt to portray the soul of his subjects. For him, those sculptures were more than just a beautiful display. In “Head of Shade with Two Hands”, there is a slightly reclined head with half closed eyes and two hands near the face, one almost touching him. The sculpture carries a deep brown metallic tint and is den proportionality. However, looking at the positon of the hand and the face it seems unlikely that those hands belong to the head in the sculpture. The head and the two hands seem to spring forth from a mass of metal at the base, which is done in a wavy mass. The face of the man is relaxed and yet in tension.
Rodin, as an impressionist and expressionist sculptor often played with the proportions of the human body. However in this sculpture, the head and hands are in proportion, only their position is odd. The viewer is awestruck by the profusion of this work and the remarkable sincerity shown in the face and the hands. The head could be asleep or in prayer, or as if in a trance. The two hands held together lightly could suggest a prayer, or they could be caressing the face in gentle motion. Perhaps they are trying to make the man sleep or wake him up gently from his trance-like sleep or prayer. The head of the man may or may not be aware of the hands almost touching the face.
Looking at the sculpture, “Head of Shade with Two Hands”, one can see how Rodin emphasizes expressive surfaces in new ways and is able to capture the human spirit. He gives just the right depths and zeniths on the surface to display the contours of sculpture. The lights and shadows create a strong visual impact on the viewer who is forced to come close and look at the sculpture more closely. The purpose is to force the viewer to get involved and get influenced by its emotional content. As a viewer one is keen to know as to what is the head and what are the two hands doing. The surface of the sculpture is smooth and rough to create a contrast.
The rough and expressive surfaces of the bronze catch the light at just the right points. The fingers of the hands, the knuckles, and the wrist show well-sculpted hands that are strong and hardworking. The half-closed eyes show the viewer that he is a part of the emotion created by the sculpture, and he waits in anticipation as if something will happen. Perhaps the hands will move, or the head will open his eyes. Standing very close to the model and looking at it from different angles, one becomes a part of the “Head of Shade with Two Hands,” and one with the moment. The viewer wonders what is the head thinking or dreaming about or why the hands want to touch him. The sculpture shows the artist’s conviction that creating partial figures created stronger interest and higher aesthetic pleasure. An incomplete piece is sure to raise questions and stimulate thinking. Rodin succeeds in his objective with this amazing sculpture carrying just the head and two hands.
Works Cited
"Rodin: Sculptures from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.” .nelson-atkins.org. 2016. Web. 14 March. 2016.
