Category Archives: Philadelphia Gardens

Gardens.

Time

Thea Alvin:  The Nature of Time 

Rowan University Art Gallery 

The Nature of Time, gallery view 

GLASSBORO, NJ: Rowan University Art Gallery presents The Nature of Time, a new  installation by stone mason Thea Alvin. On view through July 24th at 301 West High Street,  Wednesday – Saturday 11 am – 5 pm, Artist reception July 9th, 2021, 4 – 7 pm. This project  complements the anticipated Time Sweeps, her permanent public art work coming soon to  the East Garden Courtyard of Discovery Hall at Rowan University.  

Made from nearly 14 tons of integrated stone pieces of Pennsylvania Field Stone, which  contains fossils, moss, and lichen, the installation consists of three distinctive formations: a  winding wall, a stone floor mosaic, and a cairn, which are joined by large format  photographs of Thea’s numerous public art projects, ambient projected light, video and a  melodic background soundscape.  

Time Sweeps is a stone sculpture currently under construction, in the East Garden  Courtyard of Discovery Hall at Rowan University. The approximately 264-ton sculpture will  be composed of three main features: a 100 ft. long winding wall with an arch, and two non connecting winding walls, and a small passageway between the two walls, often referred to  as a squeeze. The sculpture is comprised of primarily Pennsylvania Fieldstone (264 tons),  which contains fossils, moss, and lichen, and also includes seven boulders (2-3 tons each)  of the primary stone types (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) including basalt,  conglomerate, gabbro, gneiss, granite, rhyolite, schist. Six of the boulders sit at the end of  walls and the seventh are columns of basalt that will mark the winter solstice. The wall will  be capped in buff sandstone from Colorado (12 tons) containing dendrites. 

Conceived as an “organic collaboration,” between the artist, the land, the stone, and the  visitor, Time Sweeps is a uniquely interactive public artwork that provides quiet space for  personal reflection and experiential learning.  

When describing her design process Thea explains, “Each sculpture is a composed  expression of the thoughts of the land itself. I’m in the moment with the chosen material,  capturing that angst, that patience, that essence, and setting it in stone. The lines are laid  and the rhythm is established on paper, but the melody becomes clear as the structure rises  from the ground in situ.” 

Using the natural world as her primary inspiration, Thea sees stone as an object in motion; as lines pushed by wind and driven by rain, casting shadows, capturing light. It is her  intention to create places of rest and reflection, while honoring the natural faces of the  stone by not adding too many marks that suggest that it was forced into position. The  beauty of the material is allowed to shine through, imperfectly perfect. Not asking too much  of the viewer, but acceptance and gratitude. 

Thea Alvin is an artist and stone mason, a designer and builder with determination and  creativity. She started her career in stone at age 16, working for her father as a tender, then  for years as a mason and then stone mason. She refined her stone style while traveling and  working all over the world, from China to Iceland, Canada to Italy, and all across North  America. She draws on the traditions in stone and expands those to create large site specific, unique, geologic installations. 

Time Sweeps, in progress

Contact: Mary Salvante, salvante@rowan.edu, 856-256-4521

www.rowan.edu/artgallery

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Gardens

PICTURE-PERFECT GARDENSSet between two flowing fountains and tree-lined pathways, the James A. Michener Art Museum’s Pfundt Sculpture Garden captures the essence of Bucks County’s rolling terrain. Credit: Photo by B. Krist for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

PHILLY GALLERIES SET THE SCENE FOR PICTURE-PERFECT GARDENS

Art Often Comes With A Side of Floral Beauty In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – Throughout the Philadelphia region, art galleries and museums sit amid colorful gardens, quiet woodlands and serene meadows that accentuate the art found in both indoor and outdoor galleries. Here’s a look at some of the region’s museums and attractions that celebrate beauty inside and out:

  • Abington Art Center  This vibrant cultural organization, known for its summer concert series, occupies part of the 27 acres of historic Alverthorpe Manor in Montgomery County. Inside, three galleries show as many as six regional and national art exhibitions annually. Outside, Katasura trees dot a meandering walkway through Sculpture Park, which is open and free to the public 365 days a year. 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown(215) 887-4882abingtonartcenter.org
  • The Barnes Arboretum & Foundation In suburban Merion, the Barnes Foundation’s 12-acre arboretum is astonishingly diverse for its size, with more than 2,500 varieties of woody and herbaceous plants, many rare. The arboretum opens to visitors May to September. The Barnes Foundation on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway honors its horticultural legacy with landscaped lawns, trees, park, fountain, contemplative walkways and outdoor seating on its 4.5-acre site. That location’s Garden Restaurant also features outdoor courtyard dining, while internal gardens throughout the building encourage visitors to imagine they are strolling directly into the landscapes they’re admiring on the walls. Arboretum, 300 N. Latch’s Lane, Merion, (215) 278-7200; Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway(215) 278-7200barnesfoundation.org  
  • Brandywine River Museum of Art  It takes just one glimpse of the Virginia bluebells, Cardinal flowers and holly and bayberry bushes that border this onetime gristmill to understand why this landscape has served as muse for so many local artists. The Brandywine River Museum is internationally known for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and its fine collection of American art. Outside, visitors can join guided walks through the wildflower and native plant gardens, which were dedicated by Lady Bird Johnson and, during the annual plant sale on Mother’s Day weekend, can take home seeds cultivated right on the grounds, as well as lovely in-bloom plants. 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford(610) 388-2700brandywinemuseum.org  
  • James A. Michener Art Museum This Bucks County destination is home to the Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion, a 2,700-square-foot indoor-outdoor space designed by architecture firm KieranTimberlake. The pavilion showcases museum programs—jazz nights, lectures, lively family events—within an elegant, all-glass structure that extends into the Patricia Pfundt Sculpture Garden. Inside, the museum’s eight galleries accommodate special exhibitions and a 3,000-piece permanent collection, including many Pennsylvania impressionist paintings that capture the essence of the county’s rolling terrain. 138 S. Pine Street(215) 340-9800, Doylestown, michenerartmuseum.org  
  • Penn Museum – After viewing the impressive collection of international art and artifacts inside this historic University of Pennsylvania museum, visitors can relax in two magnificent gardens. The Warden Garden, now wheelchair accessible, features a classic koi pool, expansive lawns and mosaics created by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Stoner Courtyard, built on the philosophy that places for nature are necessary in our built-up world, includes sculptural pieces by A.S. Calder, a cobblestone walkway and a beautiful marble fountain. Inside, guests marvel at ancient objects including African and Native American masks, Maya sculpture and Egyptian mummies. 3260 South Street(215) 898-4000penn.museum
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art Best known for its international exhibitions and world-renowned collections of more than 240,000 works, the crown jewel of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is more than a museum. It’s also the unofficial gateway to Fairmount Park. The museum’s bi-level sculpture garden, with its combination of terraces, lawns, flora and water features, showcases an ever-changing sculpture collection overlooking Fairmount Park, the Schuylkill River, the four-acre Azalea Garden and the grand, neoclassical Fairmount Water Works. Works on display include large-scale pieces by Claes Oldenburg Ellsworth Kelly and Sol LeWitt. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway(215) 763-8100philamuseum.org
  • Rodin Museum Movie-theater magnate, philanthropist and Rodin collector Jules Mastbaum, known for his eye for elegance, hired architects Paul Cret and Jacques Gréber to create this jewel-box museum. The venue’s intimate settings are perfect for taking in the extensive Rodin collection, one of the greatest single collections of his work outside Paris. Visitors seem to enjoy the front garden’s reflecting pool and tapestry of magnolia trees, shrubs and colorful flowers—some dating back to the 1920s—as much as they do The Thinker and Eternal Springtime. 2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway(215) 763-8100rodinmuseum.org  
  • Second Bank of the United States – Inside this Parthenon-like structure is a first-rate collection of approximately 200 historic portraits of Founding Fathers, early leaders, explorers and others, many by Charles Willson Peale. Just steps away are several gardens. The Signers’ Garden, with native plants and trees, commemorates the creators of Declaration of the Independence. The 18th-Century Garden replicates formal English gardens of the day with geometrically patterned raised flowerbeds, walking paths, and a pergola. The Rose Garden and Magnolia Garden are secluded, colorful and fragrant refuges. Second Bank, 420 Chestnut Street; Signers’, 5th & Chestnut Streets; 18th-Century, Walnut Street between 3rd & 4th Streets; Rose and Magnolia, Locust Street between 4th & 5th Streets; (215) 965-2305nps.gov/inde  
  • Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library Textiles, paintings, prints, furniture and ceramics dating from 1640 to 1860 make the former home of Henry Francis du Pont a favorite for fans of Americana. Nature enthusiasts are drawn to the 60-acre garden nestled in the 1,000-acre country estate. Highlights of the garden include eight acres of azaleas, naturalized bulbs displays, peonies and primroses. Trails lead from the garden through rolling meadow, woodlands and waterways. If the kids get antsy, a short trip across the Troll Bridge leads to the Faerie Cottage in the Enchanted Woods. 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware(800) 448-3883winterthur.org
  • Woodmere Art Museum – At the top of the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, this gem of a venue tells stories of Philadelphia’s art and artists, including N.C. Wyeth, Benjamin West and Violet Oakley, as well as new and emerging contemporary artists. The 19th-century stone Victorian mansion sits on six acres dotted with sculptures by Dina Wind and other Philadelphia-area artists surrounding Harry Bertoia’s sinuous fountain sculpture, Free Interpretation of Plant Forms9201 Germantown Avenue(215) 247-0476woodmereartmuseum.org

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.

Thank you to Visit Philly for the content of this post.

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Landlab

Schuylkill Center’s 2017-18 LandLab ResidencyJake Beckman, Landlab

Schuylkill Center’s 2017-18 LandLab Residency in collaboration with the Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA)

LandLab is a unique artist residency program incorporating artistic creation, ecological restoration and education. LandLab offers resources and space on the Schuylkill Center’s 340-acre wooded property for visual artists to engage audiences in the processes of ecological stewardship through scientific investigation and artistic creation. Offered first in 2014-15, LandLab residents create art-based installations that prevent or remediate environmental damage while raising public awareness about our local ecology.

Schuylkill Center’s 2017-18 LandLab ResidencyWe The Weeds, Zya Levy & Kaitlin Pomerantz, Landlab

The Schuylkill Center is committed to building diversity within our community and expanding access to natural areas to all people, regardless of age, class, race, religion, gender, or ability.  We encourage applications from artists of color, women, trans and gender non-conforming artists, artists with disabilities, and others who may deepen the realm of experience represented in our art community.  Since environmental topics span boundaries of identity as well as divisions of class and accessibility, we are particularly interested in recruiting a diverse pool of applicants for this residency.

CFEVA and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education invite artists to propose creative projects which operate on the platforms of artistic creation, ecological restoration, and education. Learn more.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15th, 2017, Apply Now! , $35.00

If you have any particular questions, please contact Julia Fox at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists at Julia@cfeva.org for more information.

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Rodin

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Kiss, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

FRENCH SCULPTOR AUGUSTE RODIN CENTENARY CELEBRATED IN NORTH AMERICA WITH EXHIBITIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

In 2017 several major North American art museums are celebrating the centenary of Auguste Rodin’s (1840–1917) death with traveling exhibitions, permanent collection installations, and a robust program of educational activities. Unified under #Rodin100 and joining a worldwide series of major Rodin projects, these public programs and exhibitions are bringing together new information about the groundbreaking French sculptor.  Please refer to each museum’s website for more detailed information.

Exhibitions in North America

The Kiss

Rodin Museum, Philadelphia, PA, February 1, 2017–January 2019

The Rodin Museum presents a new installation centered on the theme of passionate embrace. Bringing together marbles, bronzes, plasters, and terracottas made by Rodin over a 30-year period, this reinstallation includes works such as The Minotaur, I am Beautiful, Eternal Springtime, and Youth Triumphant. It demonstrates the variety of approaches, meanings, and allusions that Rodin brought to his intimate figure groupings in order to evoke emotional intensity. In particular, the Rodin Museum’s copy of The Kiss, a marble commissioned by Jules Mastbaum in 1926 for the museum, is considered for its unique history and as an example of Rodin’s continuing appeal. In addition, other important Rodin sculptures, such as The Thinker and Monument to Balzac, are being reinstalled in the library, octagonal galleries, and vestibules.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryYoung Mother in the Grotto, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

The Rodin Museum on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway is one of the world’s celebrated places in which to experience the work of French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Opened to the public in 1929 and now restored to its original splendor, this remarkable ensemble of architecture, landscape, and sculpture was designed by architect Paul Cret and landscape architect Jacques Gréber.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Hand of God, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Rodin: The Human Experience—Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections

Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR, through April 16, 2017 

Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI, May 6–July 30, 2017

Telfair Museums, Savannah, GA, September 1, 2017–January 7, 2018*

A traveling exhibition of 52 bronzes by the French sculptor who revolutionized the genre, this selection of stunning works demonstrates Rodin’s particular passion for modeling the human form in clay, the medium in which his hand and mind are most directly evidenced. While Rodin’s works always remained faithful to nature, he departed from traditional practice in seeking to reveal the creative process.

The bronzes on view represent major achievements throughout Rodin’s career. They include powerful studies for The Burghers of Calais, as well as works derived from his masterpiece The Gates of Hell. Among works demonstrating his experimentation with assemblage is The Night (Double Figure), while other works on view, such as Monumental Torso of the Walking Man, demonstrate his admiration for Michelangelo or, as in Dance Movement D, speak to his interest in understanding how the body moves.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Good Spirit, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

The exhibition is especially rich in portraiture. Included are Rodin’s renowned depictions of the writers Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac; the composer Gustav Mahler; the artist Claude Lorrain; one of his favorite dancers, Hanako; and The Creator, which is likely a self-portrait.

Rodin’s deft skill in using the bronze-casting technique to represent living flesh and his interest in expressing extreme psychological states were highly influential upon younger artists, both in Europe and America. The exhibition reveals why the artist is considered the crucial link between traditional and modern sculpture.

*The Telfair Museum‘s exhibition presents a selection of 32 figures in bronze by Auguste Rodin accompanied by a range of related educational programs for all ages, including an opening lecture by Sobol, a major field trip program focusing on sculpture and writing for schools, and a family day with demonstrations by local public sculptors.

This exhibition has been organized and made possible by the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryDamned Women, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Rodin: Portraits of a Lifetime—Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections

The Pauly Friedman Art Gallery, Misericordia University, Dallas, PA, September 9–December 9, 2017

The selected works featured in Rodin: Portraits of a Lifetime demonstrate Auguste Rodin’s deep appreciation for the natural form of the human figure. From his first major sculpture, Rodin’s work was marked by realism, which set him apart from the traditional idealized academic art of the 18th and 19th centuries. Rodin captured the expressiveness and authentic emotion of his subjects in part by using roughly textured bronze surfaces to reflect light, giving the effect of movement. His works were both praised and criticized during his lifetime. Today he is credited with transforming sculpture into a modern art form and he remains one of the most influential artists of all time.

This exhibition has been organized and made possible by the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Death of Adonis, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Auguste Rodin: The Centenary Installation

Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA, January 28–December 31, 2017

The Legion of Honor is presenting a new installation of its extraordinary Auguste Rodin holdings in an exhibition timed for the centenary of the artist’s death. Some 50 sculptures in bronze, marble, and plaster—drawn from the permanent holdings of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco—celebrate Rodin in a new context. The exhibition examines the artist’s life and influential work—from his early days courting controversy with sculptures that bore unexpected levels of naturalism to his lasting influence. Auguste Rodin: The Centenary Installation provides a significant opportunity for Bay Area audiences to explore the legacy of the artist known as the father of modern sculpture.


To further commemorate the Rodin centenary, the Fine Arts Museums have invited international artists Urs Fischer and Sarah Lucas to conceive installations combining new and existing works in dialogue with the museums’ Rodin holdings that explore under-appreciated dimensions of Rodin’s work. Another exhibition presents a unique dialogue between the masterpieces of Rodin and the work of the great fin de siècle Austrian master of modernism, Gustav Klimt, in Gustav Klimt and Auguste Rodin: A Turning Point.

Urs Fischer: April 22–July 9, 2017
Sarah Lucas: July 15–September 24, 2017
Gustav Klimt and Auguste Rodin: A Turning Point: October 14, 2017–January 28, 2018

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Sirens, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Kiefer Rodin

The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA, November 17, 2017–February 12, 2018

In collaboration with the Musée Rodin in Paris, the Barnes Foundation presents Kiefer Rodin. Echoing Albert Barnes’s belief in artistic expression as an endless conversation between works of different times and places, this exhibition gathers new works by renowned contemporary artist Anselm Kiefer (born in 1945) that were created in response to sculptures and drawings by Rodin. Both Rodin and Kiefer establish a formal and spiritual analogy between architecture—specifically Gothic cathedrals—and the human body. Rooted in experimentation and the manipulation of unexpected materials, Kiefer’s and Rodin’s artistic processes convey a poignant vision of humanity’s spiritual dilemma and our relation to history.

With over 100 works, the exhibition includes several of Kiefer’s large-scale illustrated books made in homage to Rodin and using such materials as plaster; large paintings; and vitrines filled with assorted objects including molds, dried plants, stones, and pieces of fabric; as well as sculptures and drawings by Rodin, some displayed in the United States for the first time. The contrast of Rodin’s work with Kiefer’s emphasizes Rodin’s modernity and his proximity to contemporary practice. Opening at the Musée Rodin in Paris (March 14–October 22, 2017), the exhibition travels to the Barnes in time to mark the centenary of Rodin’s death.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryThe Minotaur, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Rodin at The Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, September 5, 2017–January 15, 2018

The Met celebrates its historic connections to Rodin through an exhibition of his sculptures in the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Gallery. The nearly 60 marbles, bronzes, plasters, and terracottas represent over a century of acquisitions and gifts to the museum. Included are iconic works such as The Thinker and The Hand of God as well as masterpieces such as The Tempest that have not been on view in decades. Paintings from The Met collection by Rodin’s contemporaries and friends, including Claude Monet and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, complement the sculptures on display.

The extraordinary range of The Met’s holdings of Rodin’s work is also highlighted in a related focus exhibition, Rodin on Paper, a selection of Rodin’s drawings, prints, letters, and illustrated books, as well as photographs by Edward Steichen of the master sculptor and his art.

Eve through the Glance of Art

Museo Soumaya, Mexico City, Mexico, November 17, 2017–April 2018

Works by Rodin are the core of the Fundación Carlos Slim’s collection at the Museo Soumaya. On view in the sculpture garden, in the gallery dedicated to the memory of the collector’s parents, Julián and Linda Slim, are more than 150 works in bronze, marble, plaster, porcelain, and terracotta.

Rodin’s Eve (1883, marble) is the centerpiece of the exhibition, which includes an array of representations of Eve by several artists in the Museo Soumaya’s collection set in dialogue with one another. These remarkable works—representing different periods, styles, and sensibilities in Europe, Mexico, and Latin America—are by such artists as Lucas Cranach the Elder, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Alfred Roll, Émile-Antoine Bourdelle, Juan Soriano, and Georges Rouault. Video-labels, used as museographic support, share poetry, literature, critique, and sketches.

For the 100th anniversary of Rodin’s death, the Museo Soumaya is developing a series of activities to promote the artist: dedicating the November issue of the museum magazine to the French sculptor; combining Rodin’s bronzes with crafts of Mexican artists, full of color and folklore, on two altars during the Day of the Dead celebration; and launching—thanks to Virtual Reality Technology—a computer-generated gallery with 3D images of Rodin’s sculptures. Also, in support of free access to knowledge the Museo Soumaya and the Wikimedia Foundation are planning to beat the Guinness World Record for the longest Edit-a-thon: 100 hours to celebrate Rodin’s centennial.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryYouth Triumphant, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Permanent Collection Installations/Promotions

The Cleveland Museum of Art, OH

Rodin: Master of Modern Sculpture

The Cleveland Museum of Art marks the centennial of Auguste Rodin’s death with a display of works from the museum’s permanent collection. During World War I, while the museum’s original building was under construction, trustees began negotiating with Rodin to acquire a series of works for the building’s opening in June 1916. Rodin agreed to cast a special version of his celebrated Age of Bronze for the museum. Other life-size casts were also acquired at this time, including a monumental version of The Thinker destined to become the signature work gracing the museum’s main entrance. The museum would acquire more than 30 works that span the artist’s career in a wide variety of materials, including the magnificent larger-than-life plaster sculpture Heroic Head of Pierre de Wissant. This special presentation of Rodin is on view beginning Septem ber 1, 2017.

J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA

Always on view, Rodin’s Christ and Mary Magdalene is a three-and-a-half foot marble sculpture of a dying man nailed to rock and mourned by a naked woman kneeling in front of him. Rodin alternatively titled the work Prometheus and the Oceanid and The Genius and Pity, opening up the composition to multiple biblical, mythical, and secular associations.

The compelling strength of this work results from the stark contrast between the highly polished surfaces of the naked flesh and the surrounding rough-hewn marble. Rodin admired Michelangelo’s sculptures and that artist’s influence on Rodin can be seen not only in the unfinished parts of the piece but also in the dramatically contorted female body. As was his practice, this sculpture was entrusted to Rodin’s primary marble carver Victor Peter, a well-regarded artist himself, though Rodin oversaw the process. Unlike most of Rodin’s works, this sculpture was never cast in bronze and only one other marble version exists.

Christ and Mary Magdalene is on view in the Getty Museum’s West Pavilion alongside the work of painters who were contemporaries of Rodin.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryI Am Beautiful, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), CA

Sixty-six works by Rodin represent one of the largest concentrations by any artist in the museum’s collection. Two dozen significant works in bronze, plaster, and porcelain are on view year-round in the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Garden and in the European galleries.

Highlights include Eternal Spring, one of Rodin’s most sensual compositions, first created around 1884; two examples of The Minotaur and Nymph (c. 1886), one of Rodin’s most popular small erotic compositions; a selection of life-size individual figures, such as Jean d’Aire and Jean de Fiennes, created for The Burghers of Calais (1889); and the ninth cast of the colossal Monument to Balzac.

All showcase the power of Rodin’s modeling, his interest in movement and materiality, and his dedication to capturing the vitality of the human form.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

The Met’s relationship with Rodin began in the first decade of the 1900s when the sculptor was at the height of his international fame. Museum benefactors like Thomas Fortune Ryan encouraged collaboration with the artist to form a collection of his work.  Marbles were acquired directly from Rodin’s studio, bronzes were cast at the museum’s request, and the sculptor also donated plaster and terracotta models. During these years, the museum also actively acquired Rodin’s graphic art.

In 1912, The Met opened a gallery dedicated to Rodin’s sculptures and drawings, the first at the museum devoted exclusively to the work of a living artist. Displayed in that gallery were almost 30 sculptures, and by 1913, 14 drawings and watercolors. At this time Rodin wrote to the museum’s director, Andrew Robinson, describing how happy it made him to augment the museum’s collections, knowing how tastefully the gallery was arranged. In the late 20th century, the historic core of The Met’s Rodin collection was magnificently enhanced by Iris and B. Gerald Cantor and their Foundation’s gifts of over 30 sculptures, many of them posthumous editions authorized by the artist, as well as funding for a new gallery in which to display the collection.  Today, The Met’s holdings of Rodin’s art are among the largest in the United States. Their strength lies in their breadth and depth, and their capacity to unite Rodin’s lifetime achievement with his enduring sculptural legacy.  

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

Boston played an important role in the collecting of Rodin’s work in America during the sculptor’s lifetime.  The MFA acquired its first piece in 1906 and the collection has grown to include 19 sculptures in marble and bronze, 12 prints, and four drawings. Four of the most distinguished sculptures in the collection are on view in the galleries, three of which were already at the MFA by the time of Rodin’s death in 1917. These are Ceres (marble; carved in 1896; acquired in 1906); Psyche (marble; carved in 1899; acquired directly from Rodin’s exhibition of 1900 at the Pavilion d’Alma by the historian and writer Henry Adams for his niece Louisa Hooper and on loan to the MFA from 1904 until its acquisition in 1975); Bust of Jules Dalou (bronze; modeled in 1883; cast around 1889; bought in 1912 by the MFA directly from the artist after its exhibition at the museum that year); and Eternal Springtime (bronze; modeled in 1881; cast in 1916 or 1917 by Rodin for his young cousin Henriette Coltat; acquired in 1993).

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, holds one of the largest collections of works in marble, clay, plaster, and bronze created by Rodin during his lifetime, some 30 of which are currently on view. The collection’s core was formed by a gift in 1942 to the newly opened Gallery from the artist’s patron, promoter, and friend Kate Simpson. After this American collector decided to close her home in New York City, she chose to give her entire collection of Rodin works—all acquired during the sculptor’s lifetime—to the Gallery so that they could remain together. Included in the gift were bronze examples of the iconic works The Thinker (model 1880, cast 1901), The Kiss (model 1880–1887, cast c. 1898/1902), and Head of Balzac (model 1897).

Additional highlights of the Gallery’s collection of Rodin include a full-size plaster cast of the artist’s first recognized masterpiece, The Age of Bronze (model 1875–1876, cast 1898); a moving plaster bust of Jean d’Aire (model 1884–1889, cast probably early 20th century) as well as a bronze reduction of the complete figure of Jean d’Aire from the self-sacrificing group portrayed in The Burghers of Calais (model 1884–1889, reduction cast probably 1895); and studies and works on paper. The most recent addition to the collection is the marble Eve (model c. 1881, carved 1890/1891), acquired in 2014 as part of the Corcoran Collection.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO

Rodin’s The Thinker is the beloved centerpiece of the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO. It is being celebrated during Kansas City’s Big Picnic, a massive annual gathering on Sunday, July 23, that stretches from the museum’s 22-acre campus across the street to Kansas City’s Theis Park. The picnic is a joint project between the museum and the city. The promotion includes a social media contest challenging visitors to strike their best “thinking” pose.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO holds four works by Rodin, including two drawings, the small wax figure Study of a Seated Man (possibly for “The Sailor”), and the powerful Adam, a bronze sculpture that is on permanent view in the museum’s sculpture hall. With its twisting torso, bent knee, and obliquely crossed arm, the sculpture depicts Adam from the Old Testament at the moment of his creation.

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, CA

The Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, CA is home to 11 works by Rodin, eight of which are on permanent view in the museum’s front entrance garden. These include such iconic bronze sculptures as Monument to Balzac and The Burghers of Calais, as well as The Thinker, which looks out over busy Colorado Boulevard. Rodin’s mastery of depicting the human form is evident in the works Saint John the Baptist, The Walking Man, Jean de Fiennes, Vetu, Pierre de Wissant, and Nude. Also in the collection, but not on permanent display, are three of Rodin’s charming small bronze works depicting dancers in various poses.

Auguste Rodin CentenaryEternal Springtime, Auguste Rodin, Rodin Museum, Philadelphia

In France and Europe

The centenary is being commemorated at the Musée Rodin as well as other European institutions. More information is at www.Rodin100.org

Thank you to The Rodin Museum Philly and The Philadelphia Museum of Art for the content and photographs for this post.

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Fall

PHS Fall Festival, The Navy Yard

The PHS Fall Festival on Saturday, September 20, at The Navy Yard will  offer fantastic new attractions, including shopping at the popular Franklin Flea and toasting the start of autumn in the beer garden. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and sponsored by Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, this family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Navy Yard parade grounds on Broad Street, and is the perfect time to become a member of the region’s leading organization for building beauty and community through horticulture.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society members and anyone who joins the PHS family at the festival will be entitled to discounts throughout the event, including free plants at the Plant Dividend tent. Additional member benefits include tickets to the 2015 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, “Lights, Camera, Bloom.”

The beer garden will be open on Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will serve beer from Yards Brewing Company.

For the first time, the festival will include Franklin Flea, a curated, upscale collection of more than 50 vendors selling vintage furnishings, upcycled objects, handmade items, and gourmet food.

The PHS City Harvest Market will offer a wide variety of fresh produce from local gardens. Young ones will be kept busy at the PHS Kids Zone, a space filled with a variety of races, crafts, and activities to entertain and engage children.

The Fall Festival Marketplace will feature plants, tools, garden accessories, home décor, craft items and keepsakes from the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show. Visitors can also stop by the PHS Store for an assortment of exceptional plants and

products from PHS Meadowbrook Farm in Abington Township. Choose from a colorful selection of vegetables, flowers, and plants for fall.

Gardeners can show off their own prized produce in the Fall Festival’s harvest-time contests. They can compete in “Garden Giants,” a showcase for beautiful, large tomatoes, squash, and other veggies. Or they can create a stunning arrangement of seasonal flowers, vegetables, fruit, and herbs for the “Garden Bounty” contest. For information on entering these two contests, contact Betty Greene at 215.988.8826 or bgreene@pennhort.org.  Judging for Garden Bounty will be at 11 a.m., and judging of Garden Giants will be at noon.

The PHS Fall Festival is made possible through the generosity of its sponsors: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Acme, Cape May Tourism, Gold Key Resorts, Green Mountain Energy, LeafFilter, Linvilla Orchards, Mid-Atlantic Waterproofing, New York Times, Power Home Remodeling, RainSoft, Renewal by Andersen, and Yards Brewing Company.
For more information on the PHS Fall Festival, visit www.phsonline.org.

ABOUT Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1827, dedicated to creating beauty and building community through gardening, greening and learning. With more than 64,000 members nationwide, PHS offers programs and events for gardeners of all levels, and works with volunteers, organizations, agencies and businesses to create and maintain vibrant green spaces. Proceeds from the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and donations from foundations, corporations, government and individuals support PHS programs, including Plant One Million and PHS City Harvest. For information, visit PHSonline.org.

PHS Fall Festival

Media Contacts:
Alan Jaffe, 215.988.8833, (m) 267.968.0859, ajaffe@pennhort.org

Marion McParland, 215.988.8815, mmcparland@pennhort.org

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