The Kiss (Rodin sculpture)
1888–1889 marble sculpture
The Kiss (Le Baiser) is a marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin. Rodin began the composition around 1882, but the marble version was completed later, typically dated 1888–1889. It shows a nude couple embracing. The pair first appeared in a set of reliefs on Rodin’s large bronze doorway, The Gates of Hell, which was made for a planned art museum in Paris. They were later removed from the Gates and enlarged into a standalone sculpture—not swapped with another pair of lovers.
The work was originally called Francesca da Rimini, after the 13th-century Italian noblewoman from Dante’s *Inferno*. She falls in love with her husband’s younger brother, Paolo, while they read the story of Lancelot and Guinevere. The couple are later discovered and killed by her husband. In the sculpture, Paolo holds the book. The lovers’ lips do not touch, which adds tension—hinting either at the coming murder or at the fleeting moment of lust before her betrayal. When critics first saw the piece in 1887, they suggested the simpler title *Le Baiser* (The Kiss).
Rodin said his approach to sculpting women was to honor them and their bodies, showing them not just as submitting to men but as full partners in passion. The resulting eroticism made the sculpture controversial. A bronze version was sent to the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. It was deemed unsuitable for general display and was placed in a private room, accessible only by personal request.
Rodin often made large sculptures by having assistants copy a smaller model made from easier-to-work materials, then adding the final touches himself. Before the marble *Kiss*, he produced several smaller versions in plaster, terracotta, and bronze.
In 1888, the French government ordered the first large-scale marble version for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, but it was first shown publicly at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1898. It was so popular that the company Barbedienne offered Rodin a contract for limited bronze copies. In 1900, the statue moved to the Musée du Luxembourg, then to the Musée Rodin in 1918.
In 1900, Rodin made a copy for Edward Perry Warren, an American collector living in Lewes, England, with his collection of Greek antiquities and his lover John Marshall. The painter William Rothenstein recommended *The Kiss* to Warren after seeing it at the Salon de Paris, but the government had alr
- artist
- Auguste Rodin
- year
- 1888–1889 (marble version completed)
- medium
- Marble
- nationality
- French
- subject
- Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta
- location
- Musée Rodin, Paris (primary marble version)
Lore & Background
The sculpture was originally titled Francesca da Rimini, as it depicts the 13th-century Italian noblewoman immortalized in Dante's Inferno who falls in love with her husband's younger brother Paolo. In the sculpture, the book can be seen in Paolo's hand. The lovers' lips do not touch, creating further tension within the work, alluding to the potentiality of either the imminent murder of Francesca in her lover's arms or the act of lust itself. When critics first saw the sculpture in 1887, they suggested the less specific title Le Baiser (The Kiss). Rodin indicated that his approach to sculpting women was of homage to them and their bodies, not just submitting to men but as full partners in ardor. The consequent eroticism in the sculpture made it controversial. A bronze version was sent for display at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. It was deemed unsuitable for general display and was placed in a private room, accessible only by personal request.
Reader's Guide
The Kiss is one of Rodin's most famous works, originally conceived as part of The Gates of Hell. Its depiction of a nude couple from Dante's Inferno, with lips not touching, creates a tension that has fascinated viewers. The sculpture's eroticism sparked controversy, leading to its restricted display at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Multiple versions exist: the first large-scale marble was commissioned by the French government in 1888 and now resides at the Musée Rodin. A copy for Edward Perry Warren in 1900 included a contract specifying that 'the genitals of the man must be complete,' reflecting Warren's desire for Classical Greek tradition. That copy spent time in a stable, was draped and screened from public view in Lewes due to objections from puritanical residents, and eventually was bought by the Tate Gallery in 1955. A third replica was commissioned by Carl Jacobsen for the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. The sculpture has influenced popular culture, including a song by the band Yes, an episode of All in the Family, and a Terry Gilliam animation in Monty Python's Flying Circus. In 2003, artist Cornelia Parker wrapped the sculpture in a mile of string with gallery permission, prompting an unauthorized cutting of the string by a Stuckist artist.
Did You Know?
- The sculpture was originally titled Francesca da Rimini, after the 13th-century Italian noblewoman from Dante's Inferno.
- The lovers' lips do not touch in the sculpture, creating tension alluding to either imminent murder or fleeting lust.
- A bronze version was relegated to an inner chamber at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, accessible only by personal application.
- The contract for Edward Perry Warren's copy specified that 'the genitals of the man must be complete.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Who made The Kiss (Rodin sculpture) and when?
The Kiss is an 1882 marble sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin. It depicts a nude couple locked in a tender embrace and is one of his most instantly recognizable works.
Who are the two figures in The Kiss (Rodin sculpture)?
The pair represents Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta, a 13th-century Italian couple who fell in love while reading the tale of Lancelot and Guinevere, as recounted in Dante's Inferno. Rodin originally named the piece after Francesca before it became widely known simply as The Kiss.
Where did The Kiss (Rodin sculpture) originally appear?
The couple was first carved as a relief panel on Rodin's enormous bronze commission, The Gates of Hell, made for a planned Paris art museum. They were later swapped out and replaced by a different pair of lovers on the smaller right-hand column of the Gates.
Where can you see The Kiss (Rodin sculpture) today?
The primary marble version is displayed at the Musée Rodin in Paris. It remains one of the most visited pieces in the museum's collection.
Why is The Kiss (Rodin sculpture) considered important in art history?
The work is celebrated for its raw, sensual intimacy and helped push sculpture away from rigid classical conventions toward a more natural, emotionally charged style. It cemented Rodin's reputation as a leading figure in late-19th-century modern art.
More in Sculptures 25-29
Elsewhere in the Sculptures universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record