''Fugitive Love'' is a sculpture by Auguste Rodin made between 1886 and 1887, both sculpted in

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

and cast in bronze. It represents a man and a

woman A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...

embracing each other on top of a rock. More specifically, the author was inspired by the story of Francesca da Rimini's love affair with Paolo Malatesta, an allusion to

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...

's depiction of

lust Lust is a psychological force producing intense desire for something, or circumstance while already having a significant amount of the desired object. Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality (see libido), money, or power. It c ...

on the second circle of Hell in his ''

Inferno Inferno may refer to: * Hell, an afterlife place of suffering * Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire Film * ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film * Inferno (1953 film), ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker * Inferno (1973 fi ...

''.

Gates of hell

The sculpture is also part of Rodin's monumental group ''

The Gates of Hell ''The Gates of Hell'' (french: La Porte de l'Enfer) is a monumental bronze sculptural group work by French artist Auguste Rodin that depicts a scene from the '' Inferno'', the first section of Dante Alighieri's ''Divine Comedy''. It stands at ...

'', where it can be found in the right gate. Even though the group was already recognized on its own, Rodin decided to put it in his ''Gates'' partly to replace another iconic sculpture: '' The Kiss'' which had been removed due to its theme being inconsistent with the rest of the group.Rodin deemed ''The Kiss'' too idyllic and romantic to be depicted in the middle of repentant souls. He decided to take it away from ''The Gates'' but was decided to work on it separately. The sculpture shows a man trying to hold a woman who is trying to escape, whose posture is reminiscent of water or air. This is the "fugitive love". ''Fugitive Love'' appeared in the

Georges Petit Georges Petit (11 March 1856 – 12 May 1920) was a French art dealer, a key figure in the Paris art world and an important promoter and cultivator of Impressionist artists. Early career Petit was the son of François Petit, who founded the ...

gallery in 1887. There, it was discovered and appreciated by art critic Gustave Geffroy, who wrote: "the group presents the impatient and fierce race of a woman who carries at her back, as if chained, her victim, an inanimate and rigid man. The woman's back sinks, the man's torso flattens, his legs dangle and an arabesque of limbs is drawn". The sculpture was exhibited again at the Georges Petit gallery in 1889, along with the exhibition of impressionist artist

Claude Monet Oscar-Claude Monet (, , ; 14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and founder of impressionist painting who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it. Durin ...

. It was so acclaimed that it was reproduced both in white marble and bronze. Like other sculptures by Rodin, ''Fugitive Love'' is made from joining together other pieces and studies. The man is reminiscent of ''The prodigal son'' and was inspired by Rodin's studies for ''Head of Sorrow'' (also known as ''Joan of Arc''), while its tragic face comes from '' Paolo and Francesca''.

Notes

References

External links

{{Auguste Rodin Sculptures by Auguste Rodin 19th-century sculptures Nude sculptures Sculptures in the Museo Soumaya Sculptures in the Musée Rodin Marble sculptures Bronze sculptures

Gates of hell

See also

Notes

References

External links