Beside the Sea 1902 - 1912

Auguste Rodin created this marble sculpture sometime in the late 19th century. The sculpture depicts a female figure sitting on what appears to be a rock, gazing downwards. Rodin was working at a time when the art world was becoming increasingly interested in portraying subjects in a realistic manner. The sculpture shows a move away from the idealized academic tradition and towards something more real. Rodin was committed to representing the human form with accuracy, and a certain amount of raw emotion. It would have been seen as quite radical at the time, challenging the norms of acceptable representation. Looking at the way her body is formed, we might consider how social attitudes towards women impacted Rodin and his contemporaries. Understanding art always requires us to consider the social and institutional context. If you want to know more, the museum’s archives are an excellent resource, as are scholarly articles that explore the history of sculpture and Rodin's place in it.