The Age of Bronze (L'Age d'Airain)

Auguste Rodin

National Gallery of Art

This free-standing, bronze sculpture shows a nude, muscular, young man standing with his right hand, to our left, raised to the top of his head. In this photograph, his body faces us but his head turns slightly to our left toward the raised hand. He stands on a square base with his feet together and his right knee, on our left, slightly bent. That arm is raised in front of him with the elbow bent back so his hand grasps his short hair. His eyes and full mouth are closed. His other arm is also bent at the elbow at his side so that hand is at shoulder level, his fist curled. The dark gray bronze has a green patina in some areas, especially along the ribcage, the inner thighs, and the top surface of the raised arm.