by Tom Gurney
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
Email: tomgurney1@gmail.com / Phone: +44 7429 011000
Two Women Embracing is a pencil and watercolour drawing done on paper. Rodin was known for making realistic drawings that he later used for sculpting. He employed live models to pose for his artwork to get the best features of the subject.
The French artist would then trace the initial drawing, which he refined later. This particular piece looks like the first draft of something intricate. The drawing, which Rodin did in 1908, involves simple lines that highlight the contours for the female form.
Detailed Simplicity
Rodin's Two Women Embracing features exactly that - two women embracing. Sapphic love is one subject that Rodin explored in his work, and this piece is one depiction. The two women are in an intimate embrace that doesn't leave much for interpretation. Both are nude and look to be kissing. It's hard to tell the expression on the subjects' faces because they are only a collection of lines. The mouths are easily traceable, but everything else is blurred.
Rodin splashed a bit of colour around the heads. There is a dash of orange and white in the hair, which adds life to the figures. The woman on the left has what seems like a blue robe flowing down her back and covering her legs. Because the subjects seem to be lying down, the blue material may be a sheet and the lovers might be on a bed. Even though it is a pencil drawing, Rodin was careful with the details. He used clean lines to highlight specific parts like the small of the back, the breasts and arms.
Passion and Affection
A majority of Rodin's paintings have always been about human emotion, specifically passion, love and desire. In Two Women Embracing, these themes are the core of the art. The simple lines follow the movement of the subjects with each bend. The woman on top has her hands wrapped tightly behind her companion's back while the other reciprocates the embrace affectionately. Rodin drew the two figures to intertwine in a way that shows a deep intimacy, if only physical. One look at the pencil drawing, and it's easy to sense the desire between the two.
The great control of the artist with every line makes Two Women Embracing stand out. At the bottom left corner of the drawing is a dedication that says: Hommage, à man grande Amie, Judith Cladel, Auguste Rodin 1908. It's a tribute to Judith Cladel who was one of Rodin's biggest supporters.