Emile Antoine Bourdelle

Emile-Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) was a French sculptor who served as a bridge between the expressiveness of Rodin and the geometric clarity of modern sculpture. Born in Montauban, he worked as Rodin's assistant for 15 years before developing his own more architectonic style. He went on to teach Giacometti, Germaine Richier, and other major 20th-century sculptors.

His 1910 Herakles the Archer marked a decisive break from Rodin's influence, replacing soft modeling with angular, muscular forms. He also created the monumental reliefs for the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris. Our collection includes 6 works at the Cleveland Museum of Art.