Adam at The Musée Rodin, Paris

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The masterful works of Michelangelo had a profound impact on Rodin's creative process, as evidenced by the direct experience he gained from viewing the Renaissance artist's pieces in Italy and at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. This exposure unlocked for Rodin many secrets of Michelangelo's modeling technique, which he skillfully wove into his own art to convey a powerful sense of inner turmoil and riveted concentration. Two specific works by Michelangelo, namely The Creation of Man from the Sistine Chapel fresco and the dead Christ from the Pietà in Florence, serve as the inspiration behind Rodin's unique gestures given to Adam. As noted by Albert Elsen in the catalogue for a 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York titled "Rodin," the right arm alludes to The Creation of Man while the left is borrowed from the dead Christ, framing Adam's figure between life and death and revealing his tortured existence.