True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism presents works by one of the most celebrated sculptors of all time, side by side with extraordinary paintings by his renowned contemporaries. Rodin (1840-1917) created dramatic works that are instantly recognizable, and pervade our collective cultural consciousness. This exhibition includes nearly 40 of his masterpieces, ranging from intimately scaled marble statues to monumental bronzes. It offers a remarkably comprehensive look at Rodin, placing him within the context of the profound artistic, cultural, and social changes occurring at the end of the nineteenth century in France. True Nature also explores Rodin’s desire for academic recognition, even as he remained at the forefront of the avant-garde alongside the Impressionists.

Featuring examples of the artist’s most eminent works, such as Saint John the Baptist Preaching (1878), and Jean d’Aire (1886), this exhibition looks beyond Rodin’s popular persona as the tormented Romantic genius, revealing his extraordinary powers of observation and ability to capture emotion and movement. True Nature also includes major paintings such as Claude Monet’s Nympheas (circa 1897-1898), Paul Cézanne’s Still Life with Cherries and Peaches (1885-1887), and Edgar Degas’s The Bellelli Sisters (1865-1866). Consummate photographs, drawings, and sculptures by other masters of the period also join the exhibition.

This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

 

True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism is underwritten by Marianne and Mark Mahaffey, Raymond James, The Margaret Acheson Stuart Society, and the Sibbri Foundation. Additional significant support provided by Dr. Verna Baughman, Dr. Dimity and Mark Carlson, Mardie Chapman and Dr. Richard Eliason, City of St. Petersburg, Roz and Dan Doyle, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Judi Kelly, Camilla Kilgroe, TomCat, and Friends of Rodin and Impressionism. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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