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The Musée Rodin, the artist’s heir
“I bequeath to the state all my works in plaster, marble, bronze and stone, together with my drawings and the collection of antiquities that I had such pleasure in assembling for the education and training of artists and workers. And I ask the state to keep all these collections in the Hôtel Biron, which will be the Musée Rodin, reserving the right to reside there for the rest of my life.”
Auguste Rodin, 1909.
Auguste Rodin, 1909.
In 1916, a year before his death, Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) bequeathed all his works and possessions to the French state which, in exchange, purchased the Hôtel Biron and committed to turning it into a museum dedicated to the artist. The Paris site opened to the public in 1919, the Meudon site in 1948. The artist’s bequest was the founding act of the Musée Rodin, perpetuating the special bond between a prime location in one of the loveliest gardens in Paris and the work of the most illustrious sculptor of his day.
Rodin’s donation of his works and possessions included his intellectual property rights. The molds and models he bequeathed are used to produce original bronze casts, allowing his work to be disseminated worldwide.
The Musée Rodin is also the holder of the artist’s moral rights and ensures that his rights of paternity and integrity are respected
