Auguste Rodin: The Gates of Hell

http://rodin-web.org/works/1880_gates.htm

Auguste Rodin, a French artist and sculptor (1840-1917) presented the world with his Dante- inspired masterpiece, known as the “Gates of Hell” or “Rodin’s Gates.” Although, we should take Purgatorio and paradiso into account, the piece is solely based on Inferno, with few elements from Purgatorio and Paradiso. Rodin, being immensely inspired by The Divine Comedy, decided to interpret it and the notion of hell in his views. Rodin was also inspired by 19^th century French authors, and with this specific piece of work, he was inspired by the romantic poems of Charles Baudelaire. In his poems, “Baudelaire had described man as haunted by passions, that both delight and torment him. Desire knows no limit,” he writes, and this theme of uncontrollable desires is clearly seen in Dante’s inferno, and which Rodin demonstrates in his work with such details. Rodin was also inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses, in which the depiction of women is the same as men; they too are indulged by the desires of lust, greed and violence. The gates depict the three furies whom Dante meets in Canto IX, and who “have lost their gruesome appearance and serpent-like hair; they are shown as the lovely maidens who once tried to allure the cunning Odysseus with their seductive songs.”

           

           There are several differences in the Rodin’s depiction of hell and those of Dante’s. For example, whereas in Dante's Inferno, every class of sinners is imprisoned in his specific ring and circle, in the flames of Rodin's 'Gates,' these compartments have been molten down and fused. However, despite the fusion of circles, the sinners stay isolated in their own sin and the punishment.

           

          The gates are divided into two parts: Paolo and Francesca dominate one part, and Ugolino and his sons, the other. We see Francesca sitting on a chair and Paolo sitting next to her, with Francesca’s arms wrapped around Paolo’s neck. One sees this as lovers doomed to be forever locked in each other's embrace though never to slake their passion," a perfect visual contra-passo. On the other side of the gate, we see Ugolino and his sons with a different type of passion. Ugolino is surrounded by his sons and tears run down the sons’ faces and Ugolino is shown as standing still, without any emotions or feelings.

Thus, I believe that Rodin’s Gates are a beautiful depiction of Dante’s Inferno, with many elements of the gate reflecting directly upon the sin and punishments. The sinners’ feelings and their pain are perfectly demonstrated by Rodin and the nine circles of hell are beautifully sculpted with much detail. Thus, Auguste Rodin’s work is simply a beautiful reflection of Dante’s Inferno.