Masks of Hanako

Mask of Hanako, Type E

Auguste Rodin, Between 1907 and 1910, Terracotta, plaster.

 

“This portrait of a “meditative woman,” to borrow the expression used by Hanako herself, came to Rodin through his model’s posture during moments of rest between tiring posing sessions.”

 

“The Type E mask was the calmest that Rodin modelled from Hanako’s face. The version shown here is a terracotta mould, as indicated by the presence of horizontal and vertical lines in relief, the traces of the mould’s seams. This detail— which reveals the concrete process behind ensuring the survival of a model shaped beforehand in raw clay, too crumbly to be preserved—paradoxically reinforces the emotion contained in this calm face, whose gaze appears to float blankly: here life imposes itself on the very contours of the fabrication process.” (From mmfarodin.com/w/masque-de-hanako-type-e-1?lang=fr&fro...)

 

Mask of Hanako, Type E

Auguste Rodin, Between 1907 and 1910, Glass paste.

 

“In 1911, particularly inspired by the features in Mask of Hanako, Type E, Rodin had the master glassmaker and sculptor Jean Cros (1884–1932) make wonderful copies in coloured glass paste, three of which are known to exist today” (From mmfarodin.com/w/masque-de-hanako-type-e?lang=fr&from-...)

 

Mask of Hanako, Type C

Auguste Rodin, About 1908, Tinted plaster.

(More details on mmfarodin.com/w/masque-de-hanako-type-c?lang=fr&from-...)

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