A chance to see a museum-quality exhibition for free: Bowman Sculpture Gallery present some thirty works by world-renowned Auguste Rodin, from earliest works to his final period, from large-scale to intimate, telling a story of a thrilling artistic evolution that saw the French artist rise to become one of the world’s most influential artists in the medium.

The sculptures centre around key themes of portraiture, mythological figures, and experimentation with the techniques of sculpture to reveal ever more complex and profound expressions in clay and bronze. Auguste Rodin’s portraiture captures the essence of his subjects with depth and emotion, whether it’s the small-scale studies or grand busts, often commissioned by the cultural elite.

The exhibition will feature two versions of Rodin’s iconic portraits derived from the Monument to Balzac, known to be one of the most controversial sculptures of the 19th century, including a cast of the final study of the work which was originally presented at the Salon of 1898. The majority of only thirteen casts that exist belong to public collections – here however is a rare chance for a closer encounter in the gallery without the museum crowds.