A Small Sculpture Left on a Piano Turns Out to Be an Authentic Rodin

A sculpture thought to be a replica
turns out to be an authentic Rodin piece

A sculpture that had been left for years as a decorative piece on top of a piano, believed to be a replica, was revealed to be an authentic work by world-renowned sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840?1917) and was sold at auction for over 1.3 billion won.

According to AFP on June 9 (local time), Rodin's 1892 work "Despair" started at 500,000 euros at auction the previous day and was ultimately sold for 860,000 euros (approximately 1.334 billion won). The piece is a small white sculpture depicting a nude woman crouching, holding one outstretched leg with her hands.

August Rodin's 1892 work "Despair". Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The sculpture had been left for years as a decoration on the piano in the former owner's home. The family that owned "Despair" had long believed the piece to be a replica. However, when the owner requested an authentication, it was discovered that the sculpture had been missing since 1906. After examining the piece, the French Rodin Committee confirmed its authenticity. The committee told AFP that this was "an extremely rare discovery." Among Rodin's small sculptures, works depicting nude women are known to be particularly rare.

Meanwhile, there was a previous case in which a marble bust left neglected for decades was identified as a work by Rodin.

This piece was a marble bust of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1779?1821), which had been left for decades in the corner of a meeting room at the Madison City Hall in New Jersey, United States. The bust was commissioned by an entrepreneur in 1904, passed through the Rockefeller family in the 1930s, and was transferred to Madison City Hall in 1942. It is known as the only political and military figure ever sculpted by Rodin, with its value estimated at a minimum of $4 million (about 5.6 billion won).

The true value of the work was revealed in 2014 when a graduate student majoring in art history was organizing the city's art inventory records. Rodin's name (A. Rodin) is engraved on the base of the bust, and after expert consultation, it was ultimately confirmed as a genuine Rodin. The piece is currently on long-term loan and on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.