Auguste Rodin on display: Polk Museum opening Rodin exhibition

LAKELAND — Lakeland sculptor William Nager calls Auguste Rodin not only one of the great all-time masters, but also one of his most favorite and personally influential artists.

So when Nager found out Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College (PMOA) will be spotlighting Rodin, he said Lakeland’s residents should be honored to have works of such an esteemed artist in a local exhibition.

“Rodin: Contemplation and Dreams / Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections” opens June 25.

Rodin (1840–1917) was an expert in bronze sculpture employing artistic techniques associated with art from ancient Greece.

More than 40 of Rodin’s works will be exhibited. Among them is some of his most prominent pieces, such as “St. John the Baptist Preaching” and “The Three Shades,” as well as works originally intended for his masterwork “The Gates of Hell.”

Nager, 80, is a metalsmith and sculptor who works in aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel and wrought iron. He has been a professional artist for 60 years as a member of Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America and the National Ornamental Miscellaneous Metals Association.

“I appreciate his artwork and it’s a great accomplishment for the (PMOA) to have some of his works there,” he said. “I think it’s really amazing.”

Rodin is known for reviving an appreciation for bronze sculpture. He thought it should be as true to nature as possible, which led him to creating works that show human movement, emotion and dramatic themes.

Alex Rich, PMOA executive director and chief curator, said Rodin is one of the most iconic artists of all time and his sculptures and style are distinct and immediately recognizable. He said he was a master of molding human emotion and drama out of metal.

Rich said the “Rodin: Contemplation and Dreams/Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections” exhibit marks the first Rodin display in the museum’s history and will be the largest sculpture collection ever exhibited there. The collection comes from a private collection in California and the show has been in the works for three years.

“We want to bring exceptional shows to our community. This is the type of show we hope continues to put our academic community museum on the artistic museum world map,” he said. “It’s the opportunity to bring the revered bronze sculptures of Rodine, arguably the most famous sculptor since Michelangelo, to the Polk Museum of Art. It was a chance we weren’t going to pass up.”

The “Rodin: Contemplation and Dreams” exhibition supported by the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation is sponsored by Florida Southern College, the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation, the Votum Foundation, Culture Builds Florida and the LKLD Mayor’s Council.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: “Rodin: Contemplation and Dreams / Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collections.”

WHEN: June 25 to Oct. 20; Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays.

WHERE: Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland

COST: Free

INFO: 863-688-7743; www.polkmuseumofart.org

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk Museum of Art to feature Rodin sculptures in its largest sculpture exhibit ever