Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917). <em>Eustache de Saint-Pierre, Monumental (Eustache de Saint-Pierre, monumental)</em>, ca. 1886–1887. Bronze, 85 × 30 × 48 in., 1173 lb. (215.9 × 76.2 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor, 87.106.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.106.2_view1_SL1.jpg)

Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917). Eustache de Saint-Pierre, Monumental (Eustache de Saint-Pierre, monumental), ca. 1886–1887. Bronze, 85 × 30 × 48 in., 1173 lb. (215.9 × 76.2 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor, 87.106.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.106.2_view1_SL1.jpg)

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What are the figures as you walk in meant to be?

They are titled "The Burghers of Calais" and were made by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. They depict an episode from the Hundred Years' War between France and England. In 1347, after the city of Calais had been under siege for eleven months, six prominent citizens offered their lives to the English king, Edward III, in return for his promise to spare the city. Upon hearing of their bravery, the English Queen Philippa interceded and obtained their release.

In 1884, Rodin was commissioned by the city of Calais to produce a monument honoring the six burghers. Rodin rejected the established conventions of public sculpture and portrayed the men not as glorious heroes, but as troubled and isolated individuals brought together by their anguish and common purpose.

Why does he seem so sad?

He is Eustache de Saint-Pierre, one of 6 citizens of the French town of Calais who sacrificed themselves for the sake of the city during the Hundred Years War in the 14th century. Rodin's monument to the six men is known as the Burghers of Calais.

How did Rodin make these sculptures?

Rodin used the "sand casting" method. He would have created his intended form in clay, then built a mould around it using a mixture of special sand, salt, and a binding agent. When the mould was ready, he would remove the clay from the center and then pour liquid bronze into the mould. Unlike other bronze casting techniques available at the time, sand casting allows for the creation of multiples.

Why do you have so many Rodin sculptures?

We received many of the Rodin works currently on view as a gift from the Cantor Foundation in 1980s. The Cantor Foundation is interested creating opportunities to further explore the works of Rodin and his contemporaries.

Was Rodin interested in contemporary politics when he did these sculptures?

Rodin created the Burghers of Calais as part of a public commission. In 1884, the city of Calais asked for submissions for a monument to honor the Burghers, who lived in the 14th century. Rodin won the commission in 1885, which lead to these statues (three in their final form, and one study on view today). The commission itself was part of a wider political movement by the French government to boost patriotic feeling across the country, following the disastrous aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the related uprising of the so-called Paris Commune.

Tell me more

Those are 2 of the Burghers of Calais, a sculpture series commemorating 6 prominent citizens of Calais who offered their lives to the English king in return for ending the siege on their city. Upon hearing of their bravery, the English queen interceded and obtained their release.

Rodin rejected the established conventions of public sculpture and portrayed the men, not as glorious heroes, but as troubled, isolated individuals in anguish and solemnity.

The first picture you sent is the nude sculpture of Pierre de Wiessant. The second is Eustache de Saint-Pierre, the richest, oldest, and most prominent citizen of the group to first volunteer.

Thank you!!!

Tell me more.

This is one of the Burgher of Calais, a final version. Eustache de Saint-Pierre was the oldest and most wealthy of the group. Although not in the show, Rodin did make a nude study of this figure. He is portrayed here mid-stride.

His first step towards the English King is a resigned tread. Rodin broke with convention by portraying the Burghers during moments of despair as they approached their death and not in triumph after the English Queen pardoned them.

Tell me more.

Eustache de Saint-Pierre was one of the Burghers of Calais, citizens of the French town of Calais who offered to surrender their lives to the English crown in order to save their city during the Hundred Years War between France and England in 1347.

Rodin rejected established conventions of public sculpture. He wanted the men not on a pedestal, but affixed to the paving stones so that people could interact with them. He portrayed them, not as glorious heroes but as troubled individuals experiencing the anguish and desolation of approaching one's certain death.

Why do all the men look like they're in pain?

The Burghers of Calais were citizens of the French city of Calais who offered their lives to the English King to save their city during the Hundred Years War between England and France. Ultimately, their lives were spared, but Rodin chose to depict them before they learned that news. These men are contemplating what they thought was imminent death.

The Burghers of Calais usually consist of 6 full sized individuals. Why has the museum 3? Were they bought as individuals?

The museum acquired all of these burghers of Calais from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation in 1983. I can look further into how they acquired the pieces, though I can say for certain that the Burghers need not be purchased as a set.

Rodin would cast his sculptures over and over in different iterations and recombinations. We have three final versions of the Burgers of Calais, and one nude version of Pierre de Weissent.

Thanks. I've learnt something today.

I'm glad! Right before his death Rodin willed his estate to the French Government. They enforced restrictions on the number of sculptures that could posthumously be produced of any of Rodin's works, setting the number 12 as distinct: Eight of the twelve casts produced at any of these post-death castings are available to the public to purchase and are numbered 1 through 8; the other four, numbered I through IV, are reserved for cultural institutions. So individual sculptures have been available for purchase.

Can you tell me more about the Franco-Prussian War?

The Franco-Prussian War was a conflict between the Second French Empire of Napoleon III and the German states of the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia.

The conflict was caused by Prussian desire to extend German unification and French fear of the shift in the European balance of power should the Prussians succeed.

How come this Rodin statue has a blue/teal hue to it? All the other bronze statues have that familiar black/copper undertone. Is it a different material? Also, why is bronze black?

Each of Rodin's sculptures is treated with a combination of chemicals whose purpose is to change the surface color and finish, or patina, of the bronze cast. During his life, Rodin was very specific about the patina of his works with colors ranging from dark, almost black, to green, to even gold!

Dark brown patinas were achieved by applying potassium sulfides to the surface. Green is a natural result of oxidation of the copper in bronze but can also be achieved by adding chlorides to the surface.

You'll notice a sculpture that looks almost like gold in this show, which is much closer to the natural color of bronze. It is the bust of a woman called "Suzon."

Yeah Suzon looks like an Olympic medal. Every one else looks like they were hewn out of a mountainside. Thank you for your help!

How does one mold or shape bronze? It’s a metal right? So is a heated torch used? Or do you chisel it?

Bronze is actually cast! First you need to sculpt the work out of another material, in Rodin's case clay, and then make a mold into which molten bronze can be poured. Once the molten bronze is cool, you're left with a bronze version of the piece.

I was wondering why the Eustache de Saint-Pierre has a distinguishable jade tonality to it compared to the other two bronze sculptures.

Each of these statues was cast separately and different chemical treatments to the surface created different patinas.

What exactly is a patina?

"Patina" describes the surface quality of an object made from copper or a copper-based metal (like bronze) formed a chemical reaction. You may be familiar with the light green color that copper turns when exposed to oxygen, this is a form of patina known as verdigris.

In the case of this statue of Eustache de Saint-Pierre, this blue-green color could be achieved by applying cupric nitrate. Rodin was famous for experimenting with surface treatments.

Ok cool thank you!

Why are Rodin's sculptures arranged in a line rather than a group?

While the Burghers of Calais are most often seen grouped together and even sharing a single base, these separated versions give us a special opportunity to walk around each sculpture separately.

You may have noticed that one of these figures is nude. That’s a preparatory version of Pierre de Wiessant who also appears in our gallery draped in fabric.

Eustache de Saint-Pierre, Monumental (Eustache de Saint-Pierre, monumental)

European Art

On View: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion, 1st Floor

Eustache de Saint-Pierre was the oldest of the six burghers and the first to volunteer to be sacrificed to save his native city. The Calais city council originally suggested this figure as the focus of Rodin’s monument, but the artist chose to give all six burghers equal stature.

The historical narrative states that when they surrendered themselves, the burghers wore shirts and breeches, but Rodin decided to clad his figures in less historically specific drapery. Their timeless appearance contributes to the monument’s function as a broader symbol of selfless, patriotic heroism.

ARTIST Auguste Rodin, French, 1840–1917

CAST BY Fonderie de Coubertin, Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuses

MEDIUM Bronze

Place Made: France

DATES ca. 1886–1887

DIMENSIONS 85 × 30 × 48 in., 1173 lb. (215.9 × 76.2 × 121.9 cm) (show scale)

MARKINGS "© Musée Rodin 1983" "F*C"

SIGNATURE Base: "A. Rodin"

COLLECTIONS European Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 87.106.2

CREDIT LINE Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion, 1st Floor

CAPTION Auguste Rodin (French, 1840–1917). Eustache de Saint-Pierre, Monumental (Eustache de Saint-Pierre, monumental), ca. 1886–1887. Bronze, 85 × 30 × 48 in., 1173 lb. (215.9 × 76.2 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor, 87.106.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.106.2_view1_SL1.jpg)

EDITION Edition: 3/8

IMAGE overall, 87.106.2_view1_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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