The Kiss 1904

Curator: Auguste Rodin's marble sculpture, "The Kiss," created in 1904, presents an entwined couple in a moment of intimate embrace. Its sensuality is immediate. Editor: Indeed. I’m immediately struck by the vulnerable and complicated narrative implicit in its public display; consider the loaded gaze of an audience encountering the nudity of these subjects while perhaps understanding the mythic and historic context that underpins Rodin's approach. Curator: Focus on the visual here. Consider the masterful treatment of marble, Rodin's skill in rendering skin texture, the contrast between the smoothness of the figures and the rough-hewn base—a device highlighting their idealized forms. What’s your read of this use of contrasting elements? Editor: While I acknowledge the skill involved, my interests lie beyond surface aesthetics. The source narrative interests me far more. Originally conceived as part of "The Gates of Hell," the lovers depicted are Paolo and Francesca, figures from Dante's Inferno, punished for their adulterous affair, a detail we might easily overlook in the sweeping romanticism. In what ways, for example, does this narrative shape how we perceive the lovers' bodies, both aesthetically and politically? Curator: The narrative, of course, exists, but the sculpture transcends mere illustration. It embodies universal themes of love and passion. It seems that you don't see it this way? What is more, observe how Rodin uses asymmetry in their embrace and dynamic torsion in their limbs to energize the form. It is not passive, but dynamic, passionate...alive! Editor: But what does such universalism truly serve if we ignore the specific sociopolitical circumstances giving birth to it? And does that universalism ultimately reinforce exclusionary or patriarchal social constructs? After all, whose love stories, which bodies, are granted this level of public commemoration and artistic representation? These questions are important to ask in order to challenge hegemonic narratives and dominant representational paradigms. Curator: And what a world it would be without great representation of love between bodies, with this piece’s celebration of skill and, yes, beauty! Editor: To be sure. Though it is in precisely its beauty and skill that this sculpture warrants contemporary analysis beyond the simple viewing pleasure. Let us strive to have many points of entry that expand rather than contain interpretations.