Madame X (Countess Anna-Elizabeth de Noailles) 1902 - 1912

Rodin carved this marble bust of Countess Anna-Elizabeth de Noailles, or Madame X, sometime around 1906. Look at the way Rodin lets the rough, unworked marble base contrast with the smooth, polished face of the countess. Imagine him chipping away, freeing her from the stone. What did she make of it? I can almost feel Rodin’s breath as he worked, trying to capture something elusive, something that flickered between the model and the stone. Her expression is so knowing. It's like she holds some secret, or maybe she just knows something we don't. Do you think she was a muse to Rodin? There's this conversation happening here, an exchange between Rodin and other sculptors across time. It's what makes art so alive, this constant back-and-forth. It's about embracing uncertainty, allowing for different interpretations. It's never just one thing, is it?