The Walking Man
by RODIN, Auguste, Bronze, height 214 cm
With The Walking Man, Rodin pursued his quest for perfection by creating a work through assemblage and elimination. In a bold innovation, he removed the head and arms from Saint John the Baptist so that only the impressive striding legs and overall vigour remained. This figure, built uniquely on diagonal lines, immediately conveys the idea of movement, even as the determination and tranquil strength of the work assumes symbolic power.