Sculpture Date 1879 Culture French Persistent Link Location Identification and Creation Object Number 1943.1138 People Auguste Rodin, French (Paris, France 1840 - 1917 Meudon, France)Īlternate Title: L'Appel aux Armes / La Défense Classification Sculpture Work Type Though inspired by many precedents, Rodin’s group specifically recalls François Rude’s relief on the side of the Arc de Triomphe, March of the Volunteers of 1792 (La Marseillaise), 1833–36, which is also surmounted by a winged figure of war. Her wings, outstretched arms, and bare breasts recall ancient sculptures of Victory, while her Phrygian bonnet- a conical cap- alludes to the triumph of the French Revolution (1789–99) and symbolizes liberty. The composition features a wounded soldier falling to the ground, gazing up at the Genius of War. must have appeared too violent, too intense.” It was roundly rejected, which Rodin later attributed to its portrayal of violence: “Despite all my efforts, despite the life which, I believe, animates my group. The face of an angel screaming.Rodin submitted this design for a public monument commemorating the defense of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). One day, if you have the chance, go look at it. It took me forever to settle on a picture of her to use for LJ, because, well, it's not as striking. This is one of those things which has to be seen and touched. It's fraught with a kind of insanity, like a mind snapping from the pressure of so much evil things. It's all innocence lost to the sight of death and dying and murder and hatred and killing. I don't see a rally, and I can't see a battle call. I can't see liberty, I can't see spirit, I can't see a soldier's courage and the victory on a battlefield. And I look once more into the image and I can't see it. Sometimes she is just referred to as a "winged female figure" - supposed to represent the Liberty of France. I read that she is named the Genius of War, or the Angel of War, or the Spirit of War. When I look at the image I feel like the screams would echo forever. But she is not serene, not serious, not smiling. Usually, when I see angel sculptures, they're large and wise and beautiful and serene - they also smile if they're not simply expressionless. I also imagine that the screams of an angel are not meant to exist in the first place. So within the battle, the angel would be screaming, and the soldiers wouldn't know where the sound is coming from, but they would know it anyway and surge on, fighting to the death. I imagine that the screams of an angel are not meant to be heard by the human ears, but that they can be felt anyway. Just looking into her face made me hear the sounds of battle, a clash of swords, the groan of a dying soldier, and I heard her screaming. I heard the words of a poem racing through my head, too fast for me to catch. I nearly cried looking at the sculpture, so instead I walked around it, taking in every single detail, marvelling at how much motion and emotion there was within the sculpture. I gazed at her and I felt the hurt, and I felt the fury of her desired vengeance - I felt her call to arms. There was despair and pain, there was anger blazing through, and this was black-looking bronze. Then the figure of the angel rises from behind him, her wings spread out, her fists thrust into the air.
His head bent backward, obviously slain, and falling in the midst of a battle. I took in the whole of the sculpture - the figure of the soldier, dying and awkwardly falling. I was drawn to this one and stood there gazing at it for a good few moments.
(As it happened, the version of the Thinker that we finally saw was a foot tall and we were a little disappointed.) We also saw a different exhibition of a local Canadian artist who did oil paintings that looked so real, we thought they were photographs.Īs I entered the second floor of the exhibition, I was struck by the sculpture right before the doorway - Rodin's Call to Arms. You know who Auguste Rodin is, he requires no introduction. My students were interested in art, so I took them to the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, which was exhibiting a number of works by Auguste Rodin at the time. This course included a practicum of several hours - now indeterminate due to memory lapses - of real TESL students, mostly from the TESL center. Last year, during the second semester, I had registered myself for a TESL diploma course. I know there aren't a lot of you, but I'll manage. FantasyechoI'm at work and I really should be doing my readings, but I'm not feeling like applying myself to work, so I would like to talk to you, my noble audience, about something which compells emotion in me.
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