World Museum Guide
#23

Most Searched Artwork #23 Worldwide

The Thinker

Auguste Rodin · 1902 (large version) · Musée Rodin

Quick Answer

The Thinker is a bronze sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin, originally created in 1880 as part of his monumental Gates of Hell and enlarged to its current 189 cm height in 1902. It depicts a male figure seated in deep contemplation, chin resting on one fist. As a bronze cast, multiple authorised versions exist worldwide. The most significant are at the Musée Rodin in Paris and the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia. It is the most recognised sculpture of the modern era.

The Thinker by Auguste Rodin — bronze male figure seated in deep contemplation

Public domain — Auguste Rodin, 1902. Musée Rodin, Paris / Wikimedia Commons.

At a Glance

Artist
Auguste Rodin (1840–1917)
Created
1902 (large version)
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
189 cm (74 in) tall (large version)
Location
Garden of the Musée Rodin, 77 Rue de Varenne, Paris

Find it at

Musée Rodin

Paris, France

"The most reproduced sculpture on Earth — originally conceived as Dante contemplating Hell"

History & Story

Rodin originally conceived The Thinker in 1880 as part of his monumental The Gates of Hell — a set of doors commissioned for a planned museum of decorative arts in Paris (never built). The figure sat at the top of the gates, above the two panels, and was originally called The Poet — representing Dante Alighieri contemplating the circles of Hell below. Rodin first created it at 70 cm scale; the enlarged 189 cm version was cast in 1902.

The first large-scale bronze cast was exhibited in Paris in 1904 at the Place du Panthéon, near where it was intended to be placed. Rodin authorised numerous casts during his lifetime and left instructions for further authorised casts after his death. Approximately 28 large-scale casts are recognised as authorised; many others exist in collections worldwide. The Musée Rodin in Paris holds the original rights and continues to authorise new casts.

Why It Matters

The Thinker represents the power of intellectual life as a physical experience. Rodin depicted thought not as passive but as total bodily engagement — every muscle in the figure is tensed. Unlike classical depictions of philosophers as serene and detached, Rodin's thinker is in the grip of mental effort, his body twisting, his fist pressing into his chin. This physical intellectualism was new and profoundly modern.

Key Facts & Figures

Original context: Designed as 'The Poet' for the top of The Gates of Hell — representing Dante watching the damned
Number of authorised casts: Approximately 28 large-scale authorised bronzes worldwide, in museums on every inhabited continent
Bombed copy: The cast at the Cleveland Museum of Art was damaged in a 1970 anti-Vietnam War bombing — the base is preserved with its damage
Pose: The pose is based on Rodin's study of Michelangelo's Medici Tombs sculptures in Florence
Rodin's grave: Rodin and his wife Rose Beuret are buried under a cast of The Thinker at his estate at Meudon, outside Paris

Common Questions About The Thinker

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