''Young Mother in the Grotto'' or ''Woman and Love'' is a sculpture by
Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, conceived in plaster around 1885. It was first exhibited at the
Paris Salon
The Salon (french: Salon), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art ...
of 1885.
John Tweed
John Tweed (21 January 1869 – 12 November 1933) was a Scottish sculptor.
Early life
John Tweed was born at 16 Great Portland Street, Glasgow and studied at the Glasgow School of Art. He then trained with Hamo Thornycroft in London, and atten ...
was very close to Rodin and ''Young Mother'' was a strong influence on his 1894 ''Mother and Child''.
Versions
The first versions of the work were made in the 1860s whilst Rodin was working for the
Sevres Manufactory. He was allowed to experiment there and explore the possibilities of this work, which culminated in the 1885 piece. Rodin was exploring maternal love at this time, as also seen in ''
Eternal Springtime
''Eternal Springtime'' (french: L'Éternel Printemps) is a c. 1884 sculpture by the French artist Auguste Rodin, depicting a pair of lovers. It was created at the same time as ''The Gates of Hell'' and originally intended to be part of it.
...
'' - both groups originally had a kind of roof which threw them into a deeper shade. That piece also featured on the lower left of the same artist's ''
The Gates of Hell''.
Rodin also produced autograph versions of ''Young Mother'' in ivory and bronze over the course of his life - these versions were modelled after his wife Rose Beuret and her child Auguste-Eugéne. Rodin contrasts the rough rock with the softness of the figures' skin, evoking a contrast between life and death, with
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
as one of the main influences on the work.
See also
*
List of sculptures by Auguste Rodin
References
External links
*
{{Auguste Rodin
Sculptures by Auguste Rodin
1885 sculptures