Auguste Rodin was a French sculptor, considered the progenitor of modern sculpture; but Rodin did not set out to rebel against the past. He was schooled traditionally, took a craftsman-like approach to his work, and desired academic recognition. Rodin is recognized worldwide for the exceptional authenticity of his anatomical sculptures. He strongly influenced twentieth century sculpture by his assemblage techniques and prepared the way for symbolism by adopting literary and mythological themes.It was the freedom and creativity along with his activation surfaces of sculptures through traces of his own touch and with his more open attitude toward bodily pose, sensual subject matter, and non-realistic surface ? that marked Rodin's re-making of traditional 19th century sculptural techniques into the prototype for modern sculpture. Rodin's most original works departed from traditional themes of mythology and allegory, modeled the human body with realism, and celebrated individual character and physicality.
