Biography

French sculptor Bourdelle worked as an assistant to Rodin from 1893 to 1908. He was often overshadowed by his master, but was an accomplished sculptor in his own right and developed an independent style. After Rodin's death in 1917, Bourdelle was, with Aristide Maillol, considered to be France's greatest living sculptor. The rough surfaces of Bourdelle's sculptures are influenced by Rodin, however, his use of flat, simplified forms is indebted to Romanesque art. Bourdelle was particularly interested in the relationship of sculpture to architecture and made a series of reliefs for the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, based on the dancing of Isadora Duncan.