Thought

Gallery 252, European Art 1850-1900, second floor (Toll Gallery)

Main Building

Museum map

Thought

Modeled 1895; carved 1900-1901

Artist/maker: Auguste Rodin, French, 1840 - 1917. Carved by Camille Raynaud, French, 1868 - after 1931

Rodin used the sculptor Camille Claudel, his student and lover, as the model for this personification of thought....

Gallery 252, European Art 1850-1900, second floor (Toll Gallery)

Object Details

Titles:

Thought

Date:

Modeled 1895; carved 1900-1901

Artists:

Artist/maker: Auguste Rodin, French, 1840 - 1917. Carved by Camille Raynaud, French, 1868 - after 1931

Medium:

Marble

Dimensions:

29 1/8 × 17 1/16 × 18 1/8 inches, 485 lb. (74 × 43.4 × 46.1 cm, 219.99 kg)

Classification:

Sculpture

Credit Line:

John G. Johnson Collection, 1917

Accession Number:

Cat. 1148

Geography:

Made in France, Europe

Provenance

Commissioned from the artist by Alexander Harrison (1853–1930) for the W. P. Wilstach Collection, Philadelphia, August 1900; instead sold to John G. Johnson (1841–1917), Philadelphia, April 1901 [1]; bequest to the City of Philadelphia, 1917.1. Alexander Harrison initially negotiated the purchase of this marble sculpture in August 1900 for the “Memorial Hall Museum,” his name for the W. P. Wilstach Collection. Since Wilstach funds permitted only the acquisition of paintings, Johnson bought the work for his own collection. Johnson wrote to Rodin to negotiate the purchase on April 8, 1901, and the marble arrived in Philadelphia in July of that year, according to correspondence in the Musée Rodin Archives, Paris.

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit.

Gallery 252, European Art 1850-1900, second floor (Toll Gallery)

Main Building

Museum map