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Triumphant Youth

Triumphant Youth is one of the sculptures Auguste Rodin created for The Gates of Hell. It was inspired by Jean Dampt’s The Grandmother’s Kiss, shown in 1893. Rodin interpreted the scene as a reflection on life and death, revealing something about human nature. The sculpture shows a woman resting in the arms of what appears to be an elderly woman, as if they are merging into a deep kiss. Its posture also suggests a strong contrast in the fatigue of the two figures. According to George Grappe, after Rodin and Rose Beuret signed a 10-year contract with the foundry Fumière et Gavinot, the work was produced in different sizes for sale.

Triumphant Youth bronze sculpture with two intertwined nude figures and a raised, tilted-back pose.
Triumphant Youth, a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin, showing two intertwined figures on a textured base.
July 2018 © · Public domain
Triumphant Youth bronze sculpture showing two muscular male figures intertwined, one draped across the other\'s back and shoulders.
Triumphant Youth depicts two intertwined muscular male figures in a dynamic bronze composition.
© · Public domain
Triumphant Youth, a dark bronze sculpture of two nude muscular figures in a dynamic embrace or struggle.
Triumphant Youth by Auguste Rodin shows two nude figures locked in a powerful bronze embrace.
© · CC0

Identification

TitleTriumphant Youth
French titleLa Jeunesse triomphante
Spanish titleJuventud triunfante

Creator

ArtistAuguste Rodin

Historical context

Part ofThe Gates of Hell
Creation contextPlanned as part of Rodin's work on The Gates of Hell
Creative development contextRodin began becoming involved in dance when he started making this work, which led to different works
InspirationJean Dampt's The Grandmother's Kiss, exhibited in 1893

Iconography and meaning

Rodin's interpretationA relationship between life and death, revealing true human nature
Inspiration's subjectA young woman resting in the arms of an old woman, with the pair deeply kissing

Appearance

Depicted sceneA woman resting in the arms of what appears to be an elderly woman, seeming to merge in a deep kiss
Body contrastA broad contrast of exhaustion between the two women, visible in the sculpture's posture

Discovery and provenance

CommentatorGeorge Grappe
Production and reproduction historyAfter Rodin became more popular, and after he and his companion Rose Beuret signed a ten-year contract with the Fumière et Gavinot foundry, the work was reproduced for sale in different sizes and formats
Associated personRose Beuret
FoundryFumière et Gavinot
ReproductionRodin also produced variants of the work

Location and ownership

Location of one castMuseo Soumaya