Musée Bourdelle

Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) was a French sculptor, painter and teacher. He was born in southwestern France in Montauban (which by the way was in Kelly's mission).  When he was 13 he left school to work as a wood carver in his father's cabinet making shop.  He studied in art schools in Montauban and Toulouse and then won a scholarship at age 24 to study in Paris.  His house, studio and gardens near the Montparnasse Tower, where he worked from 1884 to 1929, have become a museum.

Musée Bourdelle

Bourdelle Self Portrait 1889

 


Bourdelle's Garden

Overlooking the Garden

The museum has a large gallery with some of his monumental statues in plaster.  He was one of the pioneers of 20th century monumental sculptures.  It was interesting to see the plaster statues and how he assembled these monumental sculptures in pieces.

Entrance to Gallery of Plaster Statues

La Vièrge à l'Offrande

Plaster Sculpture of Monument to
General Carlos M. de Alvear
Flanked by Four Allegorical Figures (Buenos Aires)

He needed to make ends meet in Paris so in 1893, he became a sculptor's assistant to Auguste Rodin.  They worked together for 15 years and Bourdelle learned a lot from Rodin.  However, eventually he wanted to make his own way in sculpture free himself of the style of Rodin.  In 1900 he began the Head of Apollo, which showed a different way of thinking.  He said "I broke away from the accidental, in search of the permanent plane."


Head of Apollo

One of his first famous sculptures was Hercules the Archer.  A casting of it is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  It received rave reviews in 1909 and is so powerful. 

Hérakles archer

Bordelle sculpted Beethoven over and over.  Beethoven and his work were popular at the time and his death mask circulated among sculptors and artists who used it in their work.

Beethoven Busts

My Favorite Beethoven Bust

His studio was amazing.  It is all original, including the large glass windows and mezzanine.  I actually gasped out loud when I entered the room and quickly looked around to see who might have heard me.  This was my favorite part of the museum.

Bourdelle's Studio with View of Mezzanine

Glass Wall Overlooking Inner Garden

 

Dying Centaur Plaster Statue

Dying Centaur Side View
and the Guard Who Heard me Gasp



Studio

Table made by Bourdelle's Father

View of Studio Looking Toward Front Door

The glass wall of the studio looked out onto a private inner garden that seemed far from the bustle of Paris.

Inner Garden

Roman Columns in Inner Garden

Joan of Arc

Inner Garden



Bourdelle lived in the apartment from 1885 until 1918, when he moved to a nearby apartment that was more comfortable.  He continued to use the apartment as a reception room until his death.  I loved the door in this room.

Bourdelle's Apartment

Bourdelle's Apartment

Door in Bourdelle's Apartment

Bourdelle was also well known as a teacher.  One of his most prestigious students was the Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti.  You can see Bourdelle's influence on Giacometti in these sculptures Bourdelle created during his later years.

I loved his two statues of Auguste Rodin. He admired Rodin, and his second statue was meant as a tribute to him and deifies him.  But it is made in Bourdelle's style, not Rodin's.

Rodin at Work
Third Study 1921

Au Maitre Rodin

I had not heard of Antoine Bourdelle before I went to this museum. I am really surprised because I thought his work was amazing and I'm not sure why he isn't better known.  At the end of my visit, I saw his bust of Gustav Eiffel.  I realized this bust is the one we see displayed at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

Gustav Eiffel