This head is a monumental version of one of the Citizens of Calais, the sculpture group on which Auguste Rodin worked from 1884 to 1895. The theme is derived from a historical event in the 14th century: some prominent citizens sacrifice themselves to save their town from the English siege. For Rodin, the theme is the occasion to experiment with expressive poses and facial expressions in a group of seven male figures. Rodin reproduces the heads of the citizens in separate versions and also in this so-called tête colossale of one of the citizens, Pierre de Wissant. When the museum opened, the City of Ghent wanted to buy a copy of the Burgers of Calais. This proved too expensive, but eventually the city purchased the original plaster cast along with a version in bronze (Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, inv. 1909-PPP-2).
| Artist |
Auguste Rodin
RKD
|
|---|---|
| Title | Head of Pierre de Wissant |
| Date | ca. 1908 |
| Period | 20th century |
| Location | France TGN |
| Signatures, inscriptions, and markings | signatures (names) at the left: A RODIN |
| Collection | sculpture AAT |
| Object type | gypsum AAT |
| Inventory number | 1909-PPP-1 |
| Acquisition credit |
purchase
salon Ghent 1909 |
| Current whereabouts | Work on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1909-PPP-1 |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/482/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus | 300033898 history paintings AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
31A2422
head turned to the right
Iconclass
31A71 male sex; man Iconclass 31B6217 eyes closed Iconclass 31B6232 mouth slightly open Iconclass 31D14 adult man Iconclass 41C1191 starvation, famine Iconclass 45K siege, position war Iconclass 45K4 capture of city (after the siege) Iconclass 61B2(EDWARD III) historical person (EDWARD III) Iconclass 61B2(PIERRE DE WISSANT) historical person (PIERRE DE WISSANT) Iconclass 61BB2(PHILIPPA OF HAINAUT) historical person (PHILIPPA OF HAINAUT) - BB - woman Iconclass 61E(CALAIS) names of cities and villages (CALAIS) Iconclass 61I(SIEGE OF CALAIS) names of historical events and situations (SIEGE OF CALAIS) Iconclass 61I(THE HUNDRED YEAR'S WAR) names of historical events and situations (THE HUNDRED YEAR'S WAR) Iconclass |
| School / Style | Impressionist (style) AAT |
| De vrienden van Scribe : De Europese smaak van een Gents mecenas (tentoonstelling Gent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 12 december 1998 - 14 maart 1999) / Monique Tahon-Vanroose, Robert Hoozee. - Gent : Snoeck-Ducaju & Zoon, 1998 ; Antwerpen : Pandora, 1998 (p. 9, 106 (ill.), 107, 203 (ill.)) |
| 200 jaar verzamelen : Collectieboek Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent / Arnout Balis, Robert Hoozee, Maximiliaan P.J. Martens, Paul Van Haute. - Gent : Ludion, 2000 (p. 271 (ill. 89)) |
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