Publisher's Synopsis
The late Albert Elsen was the person most responsible for a revival of interest in the artist as a modern innovator - after years during which sculpture had been dismissed as so much Victorian bathos. After a fortuitous meeting with the financier, philanthropist, and art collector B. Gerald Cantor, Elsen helped Cantor to build up a major collection of Rodin's work. A large part of this collection, consisting of more than 200 works, was donated to Stanford University's museum.;In size Stanford's collection is surpassed only by the Musee Rodin in Paris and rivalled only by the collection in Philadelphia. In scope the collection is unique in having been carefully selected to present a balanced view of Rodin's work throughout his life.;"Rodin's Art" encompasses a lifetime's thoughts on Rodin's career, surveying the artist's accomplishments through the detailed discussion of each object in the collection. It will begin with essays on the formation of the collection, the reception of Rodin's work, and his casting techniques. The entries are arranged topically and include extensive discussions of Rodin's major projects.