St. John the Baptist

1877–1878

Accused of casting “The Age of Bronze” from life

The figure looked so lifelike that Rodin was accused of casting it from a live model. He wrote to the newspapers, produced photographs of the model and demanded an inquiry, and a committee of sculptors cleared him; later many of his works were deliberately made larger or smaller than life.

1880

Receives the commission for “The Gates of Hell”

His first state commission was a sculptural portal for a planned Museum of Decorative Arts; with it Rodin received two studios on the Rue de l'Université. The museum was never built and “The Gates of Hell” remained unfinished: they were first cast in bronze after the master's death.

1880

The 1880 Salon: third prize

Rodin showed “St. John the Baptist”, which won third prize. In the same Salon “The Age of Bronze” was exhibited a second time, now cast in bronze.

c. 1880 – 1881

Juliette Adam's salon and first recognition

Rodin was received at the salon of the writer Juliette Adam, where he was presented to Gambetta; Gambetta recommended him to Antonin Proust, the minister of fine arts, who bought “St. John the Baptist” for the state. It was the first recognition to reach a sculptor who was already forty.

1883

Meets Camille Claudel

Standing in for Alfred Boucher, who was away, Rodin supervised his students' course and met the eighteen-year-old Camille Claudel. She became his assistant, model, lover and creative rival.

1885

Camille Claudel: assistant and lover

From 1885 Claudel worked as an assistant in Rodin's studio and posed for him, and soon they became lovers. The affair lasted nine years, and Rodin did not break with Rose Beuret, who knew her role as “the other woman”.