Meditation at The Musée Rodin, Paris

myminifactory

Meditation originated around a sinuous line, her contrapposto unfinished, in a figure on the tympanum of The Gates of Hell, inspired by Michelangelo's masterful hand. She was later reworked into the Monument to Victor Hugo, before being enlarged under the name The Inner Voice. As one of the muses who inspired the poet, she was meant to inspire awe and creativity. Rodin had to remove her arms and amputate part of her legs in order to include her in the monument, but he remained devoted to this work despite its unconventional appearance. Rodin himself was extremely fond of this piece, which Rilke described as follows: "The arms are surprisingly absent. Rodin felt them to be something extraneous to the body, seeking to envelop itself without external aid." This sentiment echoes through his armless statues, where nothing vital is missing. One stands before them with a sense of completeness, as if they were whole and unbroken. This sculpture is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative led by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, inviting anyone with interesting items to contribute and help build this vast digital repository. If you have something unique to share, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can join the movement and make a difference.