The Embrace
When Rodin was pleased with a sketch from life, he copied or traced the composition onto a new sheet, adding washes for skin tone and hair color. He might then rework the drawing further by reinforcing certain areas with graphite and highlighting with watercolor and gouache. In this example, the artist maintains the tenderness of the couple’s embrace while creating a sense of vibration and energy through vigorous graphite strokes and yellow and blue watercolor mixed with gouache.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Embrace
- Artist: Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)
- Date: 1900–1910
- Medium: Graphite, watercolor, and gouache
- Dimensions: 12 13/16 x 9 7/8 in. (32.5 x 25.1 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1910
- Object Number: 10.66.6
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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