Buddell embarked on an artistic path different from Rodin's, that is, an artistic path with a strong style of European modern and contemporary sculpture, thus becoming a generation of sculptor masters. "
On November 20, 2017, the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Return and Reinvention: Buddell and His Sculptural Art" was held at the Art Museum of Tsinghua University. The exhibition focuses on Budel's masterpieces from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, and re-examines The works created by Buder to return to the theme of ancient Greco-Roman mythology, which are representative works of the artist's personal artistic style, including 38 bronze sculptures, 2 oil paintings, 8 watercolors, as well as drawings and precious historical pictures, all from the collection of the Boudell Museum in France.
Exhibition posters
The exhibition is divided into seven units. The first unit, "The Origins of Boudle's Creation", presents the archaeological artifacts that Bouder used as a reference and inspiration during his studies to master the art of sculpture: "Pallas (1887-1905)", "Apollo (1898-1909)", "Hercules the Archer (1906-1909)", "Fruit (1902-1911)", "Penelope (1905-1912)" and "The Champs Elysées Theatre and the Dying Centaur (1910-1914)" The six thematic units focus on Buddell's unique creative methods and concepts for reshaping ancient classic characters and themes, and the tradition of ancient Greek sculpture and the concept of modern art are perfectly integrated in Buder's works.
Boudell studio scene
A generation of sculptors who studied under Rodin
Antoine Boudlé (1861-1929) was a famous French sculptor, painter and educator. As Rodin's right-hand man and close friend, Boudell's sculptures were influenced by Rodin's aesthetic ideas, but he eventually opened up a path of art with a unique personal style.
Resting female sculptor 1905-1908
Born in 1861 to a family of carpenters in Montauban, France, Boudell received a scholarship at the age of 15 to study at the Toulouse School of Fine Arts, and eight years later entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. However, Buddell dropped out of school because of his creative personality and the school's conformist teaching, and was later recommended to join Rodin's studio, where he became a student and assistant to Rodin, where he worked for 15 years. As a sculptor who inherited the centuries, Buddell's sculptures, although heavily influenced by his mentor August Rodin, eventually opened up a path of artistic art with a unique personal style. Buder's sculptures, the internal modeling structure and the majestic architectural and sense of power coexist harmoniously, while with rational and cold thinking, infiltration of modernist temperament in the classical realistic style. When Boudle died in 1929, he trained a large number of outstanding artists in his lifetime, and left a large number of precious works of art for posterity.
A concentrated display of works on ancient Greco-Roman themes
This exhibition focuses on Boudell's sculptures on the theme of ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Ancient Greek sculpture was the object of Bouder's imitation and learning since his art, and he constantly drew inspiration from the classical ideal beauty of these sculptures. The famous German art historian Winkelmann once evaluated ancient Greek art with "noble simplicity and quiet greatness", saying: "Just as the surface of the sea is choppy, but the depths are always still, the image created by The Greek artist shows a great and balanced mind in all violent emotions." This "simplicity" and "greatness" also penetrate deep into the inner texture of Budel's sculptural image. The works in this exhibition, whether it is "Pallas", "Apollo", "Fruit", "Poñeropo", or the reliefs of the Champs Elysées and the Dying Centaur, we can glimpse the shadow of ancient Greek sculpture and architecture.
Dying Centaur, beardless version 1914
A fusion of classical and modern sculptural styles
While pursuing classical beauty, Buddell also tried to break the classical artistic concept of ideal beauty. His sculptures exude a distinctly modern visuality. The work "Hercules the Archer" presented in the exhibition is a classic created by Buddell after leaving Rodin's studio, which combines the traditional and modern art characteristics of ancient Greek art, breaks through the classical concept of space, and makes the whole sculpture skillfully balance between the form of the figure and the spatial tension. As Buddell puts it, "Everything that synthesizes is an innovation in antiqueism ... Antique is not a childish performance, not a simple and rough imitation, nor is it a regression of art. Antiquity is the development and innovation based on traditional art, which aims to create an art that is deeper, more thorough, fresher and more perfect than in the past." Classical art and modern art are perfectly combined in Buder's sculptures, and we can deeply feel the reshaping and sublimation of His modern vision from Buder's works.
Exhibition site
As the director of the Bourd Museum in France said, Antoine Boudell is not only a sculptor, but also a very influential educator, and if he can see his sculptures exhibited in Tsinghua University, he will be very happy, and he should be very honored to share his sculptural art and creative ideas with the teachers and students of Tsinghua University. "
Feng Yuan, chief curator of the exhibition, also said that through this exhibition, Chinese artists and Chinese audiences have the opportunity to understand French culture and art, so as to produce cultural and spiritual exchanges.
The exhibition will run until April 30, 2018.