: The Rodin Museum, a Philadelphia landmark housing one of the
world's most important collection of Nineteenth Century
sculpture, opened its doors to the public on November 29, 1929,
exactly one month after the stock market crash that signaled the
beginning of the Great Depression.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of this celebrated
monument to the works of the great French sculptor Auguste Rodin
(1840-1917), the museum will present a series of special events,
programs and a new installation featuring provocative pairings of
Rodin's sculptures, including both plaster and bronze renditions
of Rodin's most lyrical work on the theme of human love, "Eternal
Springtime," 1884.
Anne d'Harnocourt, director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art,
which has cared for and administered the Rodin Museum since 1939,
said, "The museum is, more than ever, one of the city's great
cultural attractions and a key element of our growing campus
along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway."
Beginning in September, the museum's 75th anniversary celebration
will feature a lively series of public programs, including family
and children's activities, school programs and concert
performances, as well as a 75th Anniversary Gala planned for
Thursday, October 14.
The museum will welcome Antoinette LeNormand-Romain, chief
curator of the Musee Rodin in Paris, on Friday, October 15, at 4
pm, for a lecture entitled "Rodin and the Gates of Hell." A
French-language audio guide and a new children's guide to the
museum will also debut during the anniversary year.
"Echoes: Celebrating 75 Years of Rodin in Philadelphia," the
special exhibition scheduled to open on Friday, September 10,
will illuminate the artist's working process and how he developed
his themes. Organized by John Zarobell, assistant curator for
European painting and sculpture before 1900 at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, the installation will feature approximately 20
sculptures in marble, bronze and plaster from the collection of
the Rodin Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Musee
Rodin, Paris.
A central focus of the installation is "Danaid," 1902, one of
Rodin's most admired marbles, which was acquired by the
Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2003. Among the artist's most
touching evocations of despair, "Danaid" - also known as "The
Source" - represents the arched form of a young woman fallen to
her knees over a broken vessel from which water flows gently,
commingling with her hair. The sculpture was given to the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1902 by the Philadelphia
artist Alexander Harrison (1853-1930), who acquired it directly
from Rodin through the exchange of his own marine pictures. The
American artist wrote to Rodin that "Danaid" would be a
"patriotic artistic gift to the city of Philadelphia."
A special component of the Rodin Museum's website,
rodinmuseum.org, will present an interactive replica of Rodin's
renowned "Carnet-Mastbaum" sketchbook. This fascinating and
informative feature will also be on view in a special kiosk
installed in the museum.
The museum's gardens, including its reflecting pool and fountain,
are undergoing an extensive renovation in honor of the
celebration. A comprehensive plan has been developed that will
recapture the elegance of Jacques Greber's original designs for
the gardens, which were completed in 1929.
The museum is on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 22nd Street.
For information, 215-763-8100. Museum hours are Tuesday-Sunday,
10 am to 5 pm. Closed Mondays and holidays. A contribution of $3
per person is suggested.
