77, rue de Varenne. Metro :
Varenne.
The Musée Rodin is housed in a beautiful eighteenth-century
mansion, wich the sculptor leased from the state in retourn for the
gift of all his work at his
death. In the garden tou'll find major
works like the Burghers of Calais, Balzac, the Thinker and the
unfinished Gates to Hell, inspired by Dante's vision of hell in his
Divine Comedy. Indoors are studies and smaller works like The Kiss :
the two lovers were originally meant to represent Paolo and Francesca
and intented to feature in the gates to Hell piece. Other notable works
can be found inside, included The Hand of God (or the Creation),
seemingly in the process of taking shape, studies for his larger works
and a whole room devoted to Camille Claudel, Rodin's pupil, model and
lover. Among her pieces is a bust of Rodin himself, Claudel's
perception of her teacher was so akin to Rodin's own that he regarded
it as a self-portrait.
