The Death at Sea, or Hallucination Marble 1896 Collection of the Rodin Museum

Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang. This dramatic work is extracted from the group figures in The Gates of Hell. When viewing The Gates of Hell, beneath the figure falling from the upper center are flying, leaping angelic wings. Rodin inverted it, using the head as a pivot point for balance; the dramatically tilted body (suddenly, the heavy marble loses its weight) floats in space, forming a shape of falling. The pedestal becomes a calm sea (the horizon), and against the two huge wings on the back, the figure seems diminished. The refined body is hidden beneath the massive wings; its smooth, perfect curves, amidst the play of light and shadow created by convex and concave contrasts, reveal the artist’s passion and pain. This heart that died in the sea seems to metaphorically hint at Rodan’s deep consciousness, which was about to break with Camille.