In 1880, Rodin proposed to Turquet, the Undersecretary for Fine Arts, to flank his `Gates of Hell` by two colossal statues: Adam and Eve, the first sinners. The Gates of Hell is a monumental sculptural group that depicts a scene from The Inferno, the first section of Dante Alighieri`s Divine Comedy written in the early 14th century.
He had visited the two most famous versions of this subject: Masaccio`s `Adam and Eve` in Santa Maria Novella, Florence, and the Sistine Chapel in Rome with Michelangelo`s frescos, featuring Adam reaching his hand out to God as the central scene. But being dissatisfied with his first outline of `Adam`, because he thought it too close to Michelangelo`s style, he destroyed this first version. Rodin made Adam look down instead of facing his Father-Creator. We understand this downward look as an expression of shame and guilt expressing the shame and remorse after the Fall to sin. He is posed in a contrapposto but unnatural pose as though the feeling of remorse writhes his body.
He was captures using the age-old method of lost wax casting and finished with brown patina stain. Adam is mounted upon a yellow-onyx marble base with the artist Rodin`s signature. This item is in the category "Art\Art Sculptures".
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