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The Shade

The Shade is a sculpture by the French artist Auguste Rodin, conceived around 1880. It was used in triple form as part of Rodin’s large-scale work The Gates of Hell. Over time, it evolved into both the life-size sculpture known as The Three Shadows and a separate single-figure sculpture, The Shade. The original individual figure did not have a right hand; in 1904, Rodin asked Josef Maratka to add one for both the single figure and The Three Shadows.

The Shade bronze sculpture of a nude male figure leaning forward on a rock in a garden setting.
The Shade, a bronze sculpture of a bowed nude male figure, displayed outdoors on a rock.
July 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Shade, a bronze-colored hunched male sculpture on a pedestal outdoors with modern white buildings in the background.
The Shade stands on a pedestal in an outdoor setting with modern white buildings behind it.
November 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Shade sculpture by Rodin in a museum hall, with a person posing beside it in a similar bent-forward stance.
The Shade by Rodin displayed in a bright museum hall, with a visitor posing alongside it.
January 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Shade, a dark bronze male figure standing with bowed head in a museum hall.
The Shade stands on display in a spacious museum hall, with arches and other sculptures in the background.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Shade, a dark muscular nude male sculpture with a hunched posture and bowed head in a museum hall.
The Shade stands on a rocky base in a brightly lit museum gallery, surrounded by other classical sculptures.
April 2015 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleThe Shade
Alternative namesThe Slave; The Titan; A Sombra; O Escravo; O Titã
TypeSculpture
Original titlesL'Ombre; L'ombra; La sombra

Historical context

Date conceivedc. 1880

Creator

ArtistAuguste Rodin
Artist nationalityFrench

Discovery and provenance

Use in The Gates of HellUsed in triplicate as part of The Gates of Hell, in the upper section
Related worksEvolved into The Three Shadows and a separate single-figure sculpture, The Shade
Version countVarious versions exist; Rodin repeated the sculpture three times
CollectionMuseo Soumaya / Soumaya Museum
LocationMexico City, Mexico
Cast version in collectionA version cast in 1967 is in the Soumaya Museum collection

Materials

Date cast1967
MaterialBronze
FoundryCasa Georges Rudier / Georges Rudier
PatinaBlack and green patina

Physical characteristics

Depicted figureNaked man
PoseHead lowered, left arm extended
MusculatureExaggerated
Original hand detailThe original figure lacked a right hand

Appearance

Expressive effectGreater dramatic intensity

Iconography and meaning

SubjectA defeated man
InterpretationJudith Cladel said the work derives from Rodin's first study for Adam

History and restoration

Right hand additionA right hand was added in 1904 by Josef Maratka at Rodin's request
Figures the hand was added toThe individual figure and The Three Shadows

Other

ArrangementIn The Three Shadows, the figures have different profiles and their arms meet at the center to emphasize a central axis