The Thinker facts for kids
The Thinker (in French, Le Penseur) is a famous bronze statue. It was created by the French artist Auguste Rodin. He was a very well-known sculptor. The statue shows a man sitting and deep in thought. His arms are resting on his knees, and his chin is on his hand.
Rodin made this statue in 1902. It has become one of the most famous sculptures in the world. Many people recognize it right away.
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The Story Behind The Thinker
Auguste Rodin first called this statue The Poet. It was meant to be part of a much bigger artwork. This larger project was a huge gate for the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.
The Gates of Hell
The big gate was called The Gates of Hell. It was inspired by a very old and famous Italian poem. This poem is called The Divine Comedy. It was written by Dante.
Each part of The Gates of Hell was supposed to show characters from Dante's poem. The Thinker was originally going to be Dante himself. He would be looking down at the scenes of Hell, thinking deeply about his poem.
How It Was Made
Rodin first made a small clay model of the figure. Then, he made a larger plaster version. Finally, the statue was cast in bronze. This is a process where melted metal is poured into a mold. Once it cools, it becomes a solid metal statue.
The original Thinker was not as big as some versions you see today. Rodin later made larger copies. These bigger statues helped people see the details more clearly.
Where You Can See The Thinker
There are more than twenty copies of The Thinker around the world. These copies are in many different museums. Some are the same size as the original. Others are much larger.
Each copy is a little bit different. This is because they were made at different times. They also used slightly different methods. But they all show the same powerful image of a man deep in thought.
One of the most famous copies is in the Rodin Museum in Paris. Another well-known one is in Philadelphia, USA. People from all over the world visit these museums to see The Thinker.
Why The Thinker Is Important
The Thinker is important for many reasons. It shows a person in a very human pose. Everyone can understand what it feels like to think deeply.
The statue also represents ideas like:
- Thinking and wisdom
- Struggling with big ideas
- Human creativity
Rodin wanted people to think about the meaning of life. He wanted them to think about human feelings. The Thinker helps us do just that. It reminds us to pause and reflect.
