The Thinker, Auguste Rodin, Legion of Honor, San Francisco, #1 Print

The Thinker bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin at the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, California. Composition #1. The Thinker is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin. The work shows a nude male figure of over life size sitting on a rock with his chin resting on one hand as though deep in thought and is often used as an image to represent philosophy. Rodin first conceived the figure as part of his work The Gates of Hell commissioned in 1880, but the first of the familiar monumental bronze castings did not appear until 1904. Rodin's Thinker is perhaps his best known monumental work, first conceived circa 1880 -1881 as a depiction of poet Dante. The image evolved until it no longer represented Dante, but all poets or creators. “The Thinker” is one of the most famous sculptures by French artist Auguste Rodin. It depicts a pensive nude male figure, often used as an image to represent philosophy1. The sculpture is part of a larger work called “The Gates of Hell,” which was based on Dante Alighieri’s "The Divine Comedy". The figure is thought to represent Dante himself, contemplating his poem at the gates of Hell, or it could be seen as a self-portrait of Rodin. The original sculpture is in the Musée Rodin in Paris, but there are 27 other known full-sized castings, and one of them is at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, California. This iconic work of art continues to inspire and provoke deep thought in viewers around the world. If you’re in San Francisco, it’s definitely worth a visit to see this masterpiece in person.