Rodin: The Man and His Art, with Leaves from His Note-book

"Rodin: The Man and His Art, with Leaves from His Note-Book" by Judith Cladel is a detailed biography of Auguste Rodin, a famous French sculptor, told from an early 20th-century perspective. It delves into his life, explaining how he grew as an artist and overcame many challenges to become a leader of modern sculpture. The book shares bits of Rodin's own thoughts and notes, giving a full view of who he was and everything he created. The story starts by showing Rodin's modest origins and difficulties, like how he was turned away from the École des Beaux-Arts several times. It points out the early things that affected his art, like his focus on light, motion, and people's bodies. Cladel uses lively descriptions to show how Rodin was committed to his work and how he came up with fresh ideas for sculpture, which paved the way for his well-known style, laying the foundation for understanding Rodin's significance in art and the long-lasting effect of his work.