We have an another Thinker in Istanbul where the biggest psychiatric hospital in Turkey is. It's reproduced by two former patients for overthinking is perceived as 'madness'. It's considered as a symbol of being stuck between 'finding a solution' and 'drowning in thoughts'. Thanks for an another marvelous video by the way 🙂
That place between just missing the mark and being hung out to dry in ignorance, though. Much harder to grasp the danger, but a good thinker would understand that hard work is not often a quick success, and that well-managed thoughts cannot drown you, they can only elevate you; it is fear that drowns you quickly. The video basically attests to that.
I never realized Rodin was not formally trained. I love how this series makes you rethink what you thought you knew about various artists and their work.
I discovered this channel about two weeks ago and it has quickly become one of my favorite things to watch! 😊 Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us in such a beautiful and concise way! 🙏🏾
As a largely self-educated artist, I am greatly enjoying this "15-minute" series. A lot of these "great works" are just classified as "great works" in my head and it's illuminating to gain more understanding why. Thank you!
One thing I’m thankful for the lockdown is having discovered your channel. Without any education in art history it seemed so overwhelming for a novice to navigate into the learning process. You’ve made it fun, easy and so exciting. I’m hooked on your channel. Thank you.
As a fellow lockdown "scholar" I see in my own apartment art selections you bring alive with your genius, sensitivity and training. Look how "lockdown" has opened you and art to us. Thank you my dear friend.
I never knew "The Thinker" was a big studio collaboration of many art assistants. Art is open to many interpretations. I've been enjoying every one of your treatise. Thank you for your painstaking research and presentations.
James, this series is absolutely brilliant. I’ve watched all the videos you’ve posted so far and I can’t wait for what’s in store for us in the future. Thank you!
For someone who always wanted to learn about art but never knew where to start from, these videos has helped me a lot! Thank you for re-igniting my love towards art. I hope one day I get to visit and appreciate them all. Thank you once again 🙏
I love all the implications around what counts as an 'original' piece of art. Like with Cattelan's 'Comedian' and how you have to provide your own gaffa tape and banana. But I guess what that demonstrates is that ultimately you are paying for the idea. If I obtain the patent to some great invention, they don't actually give me the machine; and if I obtain the copyright to 'Eleanor Rigby' Paul McCartney doesn't come round to sing it for me. So I suppose so long as they are using the initial moulds, and with Rodin's consent (implied or otherwise) then it's still a Rodin. I wonder if this will become less, or more, of an issue as people grow up with digital art.
Have a look at the Rodin museum. Legally It can sell only 12 limited-edition versions from Rodin’s original plasters. The price ratio is interesting too - at one point the ‘originals’ made after his death sold for less but are now catching up. A recent Giacometti made after his death got the highest ever price at auction! Artists like Jeff Koons are already challenging what is digital. What amazes me is that Rodin was doing this over a hundred years ago. It was even more accepted then.
@@bensmith9253 Amazingly, yes. Funnily enough I was at a law thing recently when ship of Theseus came up, and one of the participants was into Roman Law so he was able to explain how the Romans viewed it. There's also an English case about a very expensive car. There were two claimants as to which was the original. The court held it was the one with the original VIN plate, regardless of which one actually had the most original parts. But of course, this is relevant to all that NFT thing with digital art.
I prefer to think that it demonstrates that you are ultimately paying for the painting. If it turns out that Rembrandt's Man with the Golden Helmet is a 19th-century fake and not painted by Rembrandt, I couldn't care less. It still remains one of the most beautiful paintings in the world.
Another brilliant presentation, James. Thank you!! Your viewers might be interested to learn that the artist's signiture, which is so prized today, was, from the late Renaissance onwards, often put onto a work that the artist DIDN'T produce. The signature was the maestro's endorsement of a studio work, indicating that it passed quality control. Most great artists of the past worked with a studio of craftsmen: for example, at the height of his career, Rubens employed 137 people to paint his brilliant paintings. In the 18th century, the master portraitist would paint the heads, but the clothing, landscape and any perspectival elements would be painted by the drapery, landscape or perspective experts whose studios were elsewhere. Very successful painters, such as Reynolds or Gainsborough, would have in-house experts for this (Gainsborough's daughters were his expert assistants).
I have seen the thinker in Copenhagen and it gave me the impression, that he was staring right into my soul and that he understood my struggles. It felt like he took the weight off my shoulders and embraced me. Thank you so so much for all of your incredible videos!
I remember seeing "The Thinker" at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. I was quite confused about it, thinking that certainly they didn't have the original! On their website, they actually list nine other full sized bronze casts in the US and eight in other parts of the world. It certainly is food for thought, as we tend to think of their being only one "original" sculpture or painting in classic art.
Wonderfully explained. I just love watching these videos. In a museum I just get lost and sometimes I can’t really understand a piece of art. Thank you for explaining in an interesting yet simple manner.
Once again, excellent! Although I've lectured myself on Rodin, and seen much of his--original (??!) work, I still learned and saw new aspects, and, again, new food for thought. At 18, first year in The American University, a bunch of us art students drove to Philadelphia to see an especially large exhibit of Rodin. Amazing--and not what I'd expected. Sketches, clay fragments, small bronzes and more. For an art student, a opening to his way of thinking visually, conceiving while working.
When I was a kid, my class went to go see Rodin's works. I grew up with artist parents, so I didn't really have the concept of what made some art "a big deal" because to me it was just the norm and also I was like 10. So, even though I thought the works were nice and it was cool that they were old, I was kind ambivalent during the tour and in my own little world. When we walked into one specific room, closer to the end of the tour, on the other side I saw The Gates of Hell and in that moment I was awed. This time I was tuning out the tour because I didn't care about anything else in that room. I remember getting as close as was allowed, so I could just stare at all of the intricate details and suddenly and it changed art for me completely. I still, 17 years later am completely awed by the piece and I also have long since gained an appreciation for the rest of Rodin's works.
In enginneering, the lost wax method is called investment casting. It produces highly accurate (well defined structure) and high quality result. It is one of the costliest method of casting.
Thank you for doing this! I feel like we need more educational content like yours on youtube, instead of those pointless entertaining clips. The quality of your videos is just astounding, i get to learn so much, and I literally can’t stop watching the “15 minute” series. You got me into art tysm 💞
Dang. I saw a "Thinker" in Washington DC in a museum in the garden of the gallery that I naively believed to be the original Then many years later one in Calais Now I know a lot more. Thank you for this informative video
This channel is providing such a great service to the world. It's incredible that such an in depth and thought provoking analysis is so easily accessible to everyone. Your work gets people excited about learning and it's the best of what RU-vid has to offer.
These vidoes are also great work of art, drawing the masses with clear, unpretentious explanations. You're responsible for drawing a new class of viewers. Thank you.
I just read an article about a photographer who sold one of her most popular (and reposted) photos as a Non-Fungible Token, then released the original photo to the public for both re-sharing and commercial use (I don't believe you can create an NFT from the photo, not too sure how that would work.) For some reason, learning more about Rodin's contributions to art (and specifically playing back 11:40 over and over) made me think of this article and Art's new relationship with NFT's. Thank you so much for creating these enlightening videos!
Another fascinating video. We were able to see The Thinker in 2014 when we were in Paris. After viewing your video, I now know why the works of Michelangelo and related artists always appealed to me. The fact that the human form was made to breathe makes them amazing pieces of art. Thank you for sharing.
Immensely interesting. Now, I want to visit the Rodin museum. I will appreciate it more thanks to you. I live the films and photography from the artist’s time. That tricorn hat (?) in Italy!
When I was in high school, one of my classmates in an art class created a collage painting of "The Thinker" sitting on the toilet. I would imagine everyone knows what he called it. Anyways, amazing video as always.
Another great explanation of a masterwork. I see there is also a link between oratory and success. It is a pleasure to follow someone who knows about art and also knows how to teach or explain a work of art.
Fantastic commentary. How could I not have known about 'all of The Thinkers being originals as you explained??!! And, that he had others who created his sculptures from his designs and small clay models?! Thank you. I am learning so very much from your videos.
I have binged all your videos. Never seen the explanations likes yours anywhere! Now I am so intrigued to see all the sculptures and paintings with a different mindset. You have definitely changed our perception of looking at these art works. I just can't stop admiring your efforts!👌👏👏👏
Even though Rodin's life took place in the late 19th to early 20th century, his journey as an artist still feels relevant today. Now we have a multitude of amazingly talented self-taught digital artists, some of whom are household names on the Internet, who didn't have formal training like Rodin but carved their own path and found their own success.
Your best videos are when you match thoughtful music to the storytelling of the artist and art piece. Some music selections are better than others. But love all the videos
I can’t even begin to express how much I’ve been searching for a channel about art history/criticism. What can I say but bell icon rung.. and if you ever decide on making a Patreon account, I will gladly contribute! Thank you for you work and research! I’ve loved every single video so far!😊❤️
Another extremely interesting, informative, and thought-provoking video from this channel. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying these videos. Thank you!
I am in love with this chanel. If you take requests I would love to see a video on "the young martyr" by Paul Delaroche but I am so excited for whatever you have planned next
Well, this is going to be shared with some of my students! Thanks so much for putting something together so well AND keeping it to a reasonable length (teens don't have large attention spans lol).
So inspirational! Your channel is just a sheer joy and I'm deeply grateful to you, James! The delivery, right amount of details and facts, background music, calm voice and pace of these videos are perfect; everything feels so balanced. I'm trying not to devour all your videos in a row, although it's a hard task :) I'm a huge fan of modern art and would love to see more such episodes in the future. I hope you will pay attention to the Russian modern art - there are many marvelous pieces that worth consideration. Thank you! Best wishes from Belarus
Your videos are honestly the best!!! It truly makes one appreciate art way deeply they did before 👍👍👍please also explain the last supper if it's possible. It's quite an interesting painting people should know more about 🙏
I'm visiting Hotel Biron this September for 5th time in my life, each one of my visits in Paris includes a Rodin tribute. Now I'm feeling a bit wiser, keep up the great work!
Thank you for the upload. I have a minature of this great piece in my library, who does not! I saw the original bronze sculpture on display in calle Triana in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain, in 2010! Dante does not come to my mind when I look at this bronze, it is my hero Socrates, whose bust has centre place on my victorian fireplace!
Lots of info in a short time, with explanations in a nicely quiet voice, underpinned by pictures which refer exactly to the commentary and unobtrusive music (the latter of which the video also could do without, imo). Thank you!
Thank you so much! I visited Rodin's Museum and when I stumble upon The Gate of Hell I was paralyzed. I couldn't think, see the details... I just got overwhelmed by that sight, mesmerized. Only now I could watch the details. I'll find it to finally look at this. These are the moments I like the most when I'm experiencing art.
Yogur videos are making me love art even more. I’ve been struggling a lot to go back and create but these videos really gives me inspiration to go back. Thank you! You are amazing ❤️🔥
just completely fell in love with a piece of art that I'd never heard of - the dante and his poem, or whatever - from this vid and i cannot thank u enough. pls do a vid on it one day
That sculpture by Jean Baptiste Carpoux is truly the best sculpture ever created by man!! Its at the MET in NYC and it is breath taking. You can literally see bones, veins, ligaments etc. Unbelievable level of detail
This series is incredible. The narrator is perfect. I come away from each video with a profound new understanding of an artist or a movement in art, and I am compelled to go and find out more. More than anything else, I am so grateful that in the age of mindless Tiktok drivel and people posting videos of themselves opening boxes of junk, this sort of quality content is available freely for me to watch and educate myself. Thank you. It reaffirms my faith in humanity to be honest.
Living in Cleveland, I was a teen when our Thinker was blown off of his base in 1969 by a bundle of dynamite. The years were a time of social unrest, as reflected in events like racial riots in major cities, the Woodstock music festival, major strikes by government sanitation and postal workers so mail was being delivered and garbage was being picked up by the National Guard, Native Americans taking over Alcatraz Island claiming it was part of their ancestorial homeland, and our country was deeply divided over the Vietnam war. Movies in the theaters that year were, M.A.S.H., Patton and Easy Rider. The destruction was symbolic of a segment of society that wanted to protest "the establishment," and echoes of the refrain that "the times, they were a'changin" were heard on many fronts. The Cleveland Museum of Art thought about having the statue restored by the company that had originally cast him, but then they decided to leave him as he is, and forgive me if you disagree, but I like it better that way. The Thinker, our Thinker, seems to have a tossed upon the waves look. It seems to reflect turbulence, not just of the 60s but of life. Sister Wendy, on her video of her American Tour, stood looking up at our statue and said that in his present state, he is "peculiarly and tragically, accessible." My thoughts are - The Thinker has had his own personal experience with violence. He has had a near-death experience but now he's back on his pedestal and he's back to thinking about it all. Violence, Hell, Life, Death, Destruction, all of it. Now, what about the vandals? Am I saying that self-appointed judges of American society who wreck destruction are justified in what they do? Or if we display their handiwork, it's because they are really artists? No! What I am saying is Rodin would have approved of the Cleveland Museum of Art's decision to leave the piece as it is now. Two quotes that might embody some of what happened back then, one by Robin Williams who said, "If you remember the 60s - you probably weren't there." and one by Rodin who said, "Chance is a great artist."
Yes, I agree with you about Cleveland's Thinker. At one end, there is a colossus of rational thought and at the other end, there is chaos. To me that seems to perfectly encapsule mankind's range of emotions. Not to congratulate or endorse the handiwork of the vandals, but It seems like a more profound work now.
Can I just thankyou for doing all this. I’ve been enjoying each video, learned so many new things about art history and techniques. These videos are perfect!!
Hello Great Art Explained, Excellent job my friend, your explanation is very clear, it went to the small details of the subject which we never got that elsewhere...
