Portret van Victor Hugo

About this artwork

Blad uit: Gazette des Beaux-Arts, A. Clement (drukker), Parijs maart 1889, tegenover p. 238

Art Historical Context

Auguste Rodin’s 9 drypoint portrait of Victor Hugo captures the celebrated French writer three years after his death. Created as an illustration for the March issue of the influential *Gazette des Beaux-Arts*, the print measures just 223 by 159 millimeters, giving it an intimate scale suited to the journal’s pages. Rodin, best known for his monumental sculptures, here demonstrates his skill in printmaking, using the drypoint needle to scratch directly into the copper plate and produce the soft, velvety lines characteristic of the medium. Published opposite page 238 by printer A. Clément in Paris, the work appeared at a moment when Rodin’s reputation was firmly established. The choice of drypoint allowed him to convey both the expressive features of Hugo and the textured, almost sculptural quality of the portrait surface. This print thus bridges Rodin’s sculptural sensibility with the graphic arts, offering viewers a rare glimpse of how the artist translated his distinctive approach to form into two dimensions for a wide public audience.

About the Artist

Auguste Rodin · 1840–1917

François Auguste René Rodin (1840-1917) stands as the founder of modern sculpture, transforming the art form from academic tradition into expressive modernism. Born into a working-class Parisian family, Rodin faced early rejection, failing three times to gain admission to the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. This setback forced him to work as a craftsman for nearly two decades, though his 1875 tr...