Auguste Rodin's marble portrait bust of Gustav Mahler: a study of the beneficiality of a dialectical synthesis of opposites in life and art

Abstract

In 1909 the composer Gustav Mahler and the sculptor Auguste Rodin, arguably the greatest composer and the greatest sculptor of the time, met in Paris. Both were transitional figures in their respective fields, representing the end of an era in their creative work. Their respective legacies nevertheless also inaugurated new ideas and inspired younger composers and sculptors. Rodin sculpted two portraits of Mahler, one of which — in pure white marble — is the main focus of the article. The refinement and beauty of this work is different from Rodin's male portraits in that the head is stylised like many of his female portraits, an ambiguity compounded by the fact that Alma Mahler, the composer's wife, wrote in her memoirs that Rodin fell in love with his model during the sittings. An understanding of the marble bust calls for an analysis of the life and work of the composer, fraught with ambiguities - as reflected in that superb portrait.

AUGUSTE RODIN SE MARMER BORSBEELD VAN GUSTAV MAHLER: 'N STUDIE VAN DIE VOORDELIGHEID VAN 'N DIALEKTIESE SINTESE VAN TEENOORGESTELDES IN DIE LEWE EN IN DIE KUNS. In 1909 het die komponis Gustav Mahler en die beeldhouer Auguste Rodin, hoogswaarskynlik die grootste komponis en die grootste beeldhouer van die tyd, in Parys ontmoet. Albei was oorgangsfigure in hulle onderskeie velde, verteenwoordigend van die einde van 'n era in hulle kreatiewe werk. Hulle onderskeie nalatenskap het nietemin ook nuwe idees ingewy en jonger komponiste en beeldhouers geinspireer. Rodin het twee portrette van Mahler gebeeldhou, waarvan een — in suiwer wit marmer — die hooffokus van hierdie artikel is. Die verfyning en skoonheid van hierdie werk is anders as Rodin se ander manlike portrette, want die kop is gestileer soos baie van sy vroulike portrette, 'n dubbelsinnigheid beklemtoon deur die feit dat Alma Mahler, die kompos se eggenote, in haar memoirs geskryf het dat Rodin tydens die sittings op sy model verlief geraak het. 'n Begrip van die marmer borsbeeld vereis 'n ontleding van die lewe en werk van die komponis wat gekenmerk word deur vele dubbelsinnighede - soos in daardie voortreflike kunswerk weerspieel.