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Eustache de Saint Pierre

Eustache de Saint Pierre is a sculpture by Auguste Rodin, currently in the Musée Soumaya in Mexico City. Conceived between 1885 and 1886 as part of The Burghers of Calais, it belongs to Rodin’s exploration of the group that includes Jean de Fiennes, Pierre de Wissant, Jacques de Wissant, Jean d’Aire, and Andrieu d’Andres, each also cast as an individual figure. The work reflects Rodin’s study of the nude versions of the figures, as well as head and hand studies. In early models, Saint Pierre held a dominant position with the city keys, and later appeared with lowered arms and a forward-leaning body before the commission rejected that pose. His head model was the painter Jean-Charles Cazin.

Eustache de Saint Pierre bronze sculpture of a bearded man in long robes standing on a stone base beside storefront windows
Eustache de Saint Pierre shown as a bronze sculpture on a city sidewalk.
October 2008 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bust of Eustache de Saint Pierre showing an elderly man with a textured beard, furrowed brow, and solemn expression.
Auguste Rodin’s Eustache de Saint Pierre, shown here in a close-up view of the weathered bronze head.
© · CC0
Dark bronze bust of Eustache de Saint Pierre showing an elderly bearded man in a cap looking downward.
Close-up of Eustache de Saint Pierre, a bronze bust of an elderly bearded figure with a downward gaze.
October 2008 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Close-up of Eustache de Saint Pierre’s bronze foot on a textured base, with bare toes beneath heavy drapery.
Close-up of Eustache de Saint Pierre, showing the bronze foot and drapery details of Rodin’s sculpture.
October 2008 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Informational plaque for Eustache de Saint Pierre with artwork details in white text on a grey sign.
A close-up of the exhibition plaque for Eustache de Saint Pierre.
October 2008 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleEustache de Saint Pierre
TypeNude model study

Historical context

Date1885–1886
ProjectThe Burghers of Calais

Creator

SculptorAuguste Rodin

Discovery and provenance

Head modelJean-Charles Cazin, a painter from Pas-de-Calais
Interpretive contextRodin’s choice of Cazin as head model relates to 19th-century pseudo-sciences such as physiognomy, which held that each region had a specific set of facial features

Physical characteristics

Casting status of related figuresThe other figures in the group were also cast as individual figures
Related figures in the groupJean de Fiennes, Pierre de Wiessant, Jacques de Wiessant, Jean d’Aire, and Andrieu d’Andres
First maquette depictionSaint Pierre was shown in a dominant position in the group, carrying the town’s keys
Second maquette depictionSaint Pierre remained in the front row, with lowered arms and a body leaning forward
Related studiesRodin produced nude models of the individual figures, as well as head and hand studies
Depicted personEustache de Saint Pierre, the oldest of the burghers of Calais

History and restoration

Committee reactionThe supervising committee rejected the leaning-forward, dejected-looking pose because it did not wish Saint Pierre to be shown as dejected

Appearance

Costume in final group versionWearing a robe with a noose around the neck
Relation to finished groupThe figure in the finished group is otherwise almost identical to the model

Location and ownership

Current locationMuseo Soumaya, Mexico City, Mexico
Part ofThe Burghers of Calais