WhatsApp Channel Join Now A small marble sculpture, once believed to be a copy, sold for 860,000 euros ($984,000) at an auction in France. The artwork, created by famous French artist Auguste Rodin, had been missing from public view for nearly 120 years.
The sculpture, called “Le Désespoir,” shows a woman sitting on a rock, holding her foot and hugging her knee. It was last sold in 1906 and was rediscovered in late 2024. The auction house Rouillac announced the sale on Sunday.
Rodin, who lived from 1840 to 1917, made several versions of “Le Désespoir.” This one was designed in 1890 and carved from marble between 1892 and 1893. It is small, measuring only 28.5 cm tall, 15 cm wide, and 25 cm deep. It was meant to be part of Rodin’s larger work, “The Gates of Hell,” which includes over 200 figures.
The sculpture belonged to a family in central France. They kept it on their piano next to family photos, thinking it was not valuable. Aymeric Rouillac, the auctioneer, said the family called it a “fake” or “copy.” But he decided to check it further.
Rouillac was amazed by the sculpture’s details. “The back and muscles are perfect. You can see every bone in the spine,” he said. He took it to the Comité Rodin, a group that studies Rodin’s art. Jérôme Le Blay, from the Comité, said he knew it was real right away. “It’s exceptional,” he added.
Le Blay explained that this sculpture was made when Rodin was at his best. Rodin worked with helpers who started carving the marble, and then he finished it himself. After Rodin became very famous, he made more artworks, but this one is special because it’s from his earlier, careful work.
When Rodin died, he gave his works to the Musée Rodin in Paris. The museum can still make bronze versions of his art, but marble sculptures like this one are very rare. Most are in museums, not private homes.
The auction was exciting, and a young banker from the U.S. West Coast won the sculpture with the highest bid. The sale shows how special this rediscovered artwork is, with its beauty and history capturing attention after being hidden for so long.
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