Sin was primarily introduced by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden disobeying G-ds commands and giving into the temptation of the forbidden fruit. Sins are often thought to be an overindulgence of one’s natural animalistic instinct, for example, a natural instinct is to feed, which gives the energy to move, concentrate and for growth; however, one can overindulge in feeding, creating a lack of appreciation for food. This can lead to damaging effects such as obesity. Overindulgence in food, drink or wealth is known as gluttony which is one of the seven deadly sins. The 'Seven Deadly Sins' are a grouping of practices which are believed to be immoral and degrading in Society within Christian teachings. The seven deadly sins were first listed by Monk Evagrius Ponticus and then translated from Latin for Western Christianity. They were revised by Pope Gregory, forming teachings that he said should never be forgiven or forgotten and are made up of Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, Wrath, and Pride. However, according to the Bible, they can be forgiven by G-d. Each sin is contrary to Christian principle for love of God, love for the people around us and love for our bodies. In modernity, many of these sins are projected widely through individuals such as pride especially living in a narcissistic society with social media constantly portraying unrealistic standards. Both Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dali have produced art portraying the theme and impact of sin. I was drawn to Salvador Dali’s painting ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’, involving the theme of uncontrollable pride and Augustus Rodin sculpture, ‘The Kiss’ involving the theme lust. Both creations revolve around the idea of forbidden passion, and this strongly influenced my decision to choose these pieces of art. This is because I was struck with fascination as to how the word ‘passion’ was presented in two completely different formats, however, with the same emotion. Psychiatrist Pauline Wallin Ph.D explains and lists several psychological reasons why humans want something they are not permitted. First, if something is hard to get or it is forbidden, one will immediately pay more attention to it. Second, when something is lacking or rare, its value is increased. Finally, a psychological reaction to being told to do or not to do something is to do the exact opposite – a natural instinct perhaps in teenagers. Therefore, whether referring to the act of pride or lust, forbidden passion is extremely difficult to overcome, inevitably leading to sin. In this essay, I further explore how both Dali and Rodin portray the protagonists of their narratives and tackle forbidden passion.
Auguste Rodin was born in 1840 and lived a simple childhood in France. As his fame grew with experience and age he became a major authority in modern art. As an art student, Rodin embarked on a trip to Italy to study and during this time became inspired by the artist Michelangelo. He created a series of drawings from his trip and this led to the realisation that he wanted to ‘breath life’ into his work and create sculptures that were in sync with his life, just as Michelangelo had done. This made him start working on a large scale leading him to produce his first sculpture titled ‘The Vanquished’, (1880). This sculpture truly highlighted Rodin’s artistic capability, emphasising the realistic scale of proportion, attention to detail and accuracy of posture. However, his work was questioned by critics, because it appeared too extraordinarily realistic when admitted to Paris Salon in 1877. The critics actually accused Rodin of having used a life cast of his sitter.
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Rodin only became widely established when he was in his forties when he was commissioned by Jules Mastbaum to produce his striking, unfinished and well-known work ‘The Gates of Hell’- (1917) which signified a turning point in his career as an artist. ‘The Gates of Hell’ includes a large number of figures which inspired much of his work. Rodin accepted the commission in 1880 when he was still a relatively unknown artist. ‘The Gates of Hell’ was inspired by the 14th century poem in which ‘Inferno’ (Italian for 'hell'), the first part of Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s (1265–1324) ‘Divine comedy’, as he wanted to create a picture of the suffering of humanity in damnation. Rodin was never fully satisfied with his work, displayed by the incomplete doors.
The placement of the two hundred figures creates different levels allowing the light to play across the piece in varying ways. For example, the figures positioned on the two main doors have much more space between them creating more light, whereas the upper section is filled with characters creating more darkness. This could be because ‘The Gates of Hell’ is unfinished and Dante may have intended to add more figures to this area. Some figures protrude creating a shadow over the figures in the background while at the same time capturing the light themselves making them stand out. The upper part of the sculpture, known as the tymperman, is on a much larger scale to the rest of the figures on the sculpture and represents the arrival of the damned in hell. The figures appear to be pointing as if they are showing the direction towards damnation. The different levels are based on Dante’s description of the nine circles of hell in his poem and are similar to the seven deadly sins. The nine circles of hell include the seven deadly sins plus other vices, such as, treachery, fraud and violence. The characters portrayed in ‘The Gates of Hell’ represent each of these circles.
Lust is the second circle of hell where souls are punished by being blown by eternal winds preventing them finding rest. The strong winds represent a person who is led by these desires. Through this, Dante finds figures through history who were adulterous during their lifetime, for example Helena of Troy. In ‘The Gates of Hell', the small figures which are passionately kissing truly emulate the sin of lust as ultimately, they are killed as a consequence for their sin.
Some of these figures were made into an independent sculpture famously named ‘The Kiss’. ‘The Kiss’ (1882), is based on Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Polenta’s forbidden passion as illicit lovers in 13th century. Francesca was married to Paolo's brother Giovanni. Giovanni caught the lovers in an adulterous act, killing both his wife and brother. This tragic love story was woven into Dante’s Divine Comedy, where their spirits are swept away by eternal winds (the second circle of the nine) and are punished forever for their sin of uncontrollable lust. Rodin suggests that the couple were influenced by the adulterous romance of Lancelot and Guinevere which is shown through his inclusion of this book which can be made out in his Paolo hands. ‘The Kiss’ is a bronze sculpture in which Paolo and Francesca morph into each other, they are sitting down, legs intertwined expressing their compassion. Placed on what appears to be a rock, they are grasping each other as if it will be the last time they will be seeing each other. Originally the title for ‘The Kiss’ was ‘Francesca da Rimini’ before Rodin was persuaded to change the name due to controversy caused by the sculpture. Art historian and Rodin Scholar Catherine Lampert believes that ‘The Kiss’ is the artist’s “most radical work” as
‘The Kiss’ proved a hit with the public at once’. Rodin intended to show that women were not just passive objects when it comes to sexual relations but the prudish attitudes of that time meant that this sculpture had to be concealed. In 1890, the finished piece was delivered to Edward Perry Warren in the summer and stored in a stable block, as it was too large for his house and also because “Its indecency offended puritanical locals, who feared that it would incite lewd behaviour”. Because of this, it was only transported to the Tate Modern in 2000 after Warren’s death.
In the 2018 exhibition of ‘Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece’ ‘The Kiss’ is placed directly next to ‘Diaphanous Drapery’ from the east pediment of the Parthenon. Rodin’s inspiration from the Parthenon sculptures was shown through the comparison of his sculpture and the ‘Diaphanous Drapery’. The figures from both sculptures are clearly merged into one. Like the Parthenon sculptures, many of Rodin’s figures started life as an architectural component and when removed, became an individual piece of art in their own right. Rodin’s lovers were constructed nude as clothing would distract the viewer from the raw emotion which one should feel when observing this sculpture. The figures are so involved with one another that their faces cannot be clearly seen. ‘The Kiss’ sends a powerful message of lust once placed next to ‘Diaphanous Drapery’ as it creates a contrast between the dressed and the nude. The dimensions of the sculpture are 1.82m x 1.12m x 1.17m. this allows Rodin to display his passion for human anatomy as the detail of the muscular definition is extremely realistic. The facial features are not so defined, bringing attention to their body position and deep urge. Francesca’s right legs are wrapped over Paolo’s left knee and Paolo’s left side and Francesca right side are completely joined together from the hip down, displaying their intimate relationship. However, in saying this, their bodies are quite distant bringing more emphasis to their embrace. His hands are placed on her waist in a gentle manner contrasting the tight grip of Francesca around Paolo’s neck. Francesca’s back is arched, displaying her submitance to her emotions.
Salvador Dali was born in Spain in 1904. Although living with his family, unfortunately, both his brother and mother died during his childhood leaving an imprint on Dali. According to Eric Shanes in the book ‘The life and masterworks of Salvador Dali’, Dali’s parents treated him like his brother, giving him a similar name, dressing him in his brother’s clothes. Dali’s parents did not allow him to live his life as his true self, and made him feel that living his own life was sinful. Later this caused him to rebel against his parents. Following his mother’s death, Dali realised that she would soon be forgotten and he vowed to himself that he would be remembered. Dali studied at ‘Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando’ where he studied the perfect technique of other artists. He believed that one should conquer the technique of others before you can create your own. Dali’s reading of ‘Traumdetung’, Sigmund Feud 1889, which discussed stories of the unconscious and dream interpretations, hugely inspired him to develop his paranoiac critical method, which consisted of a self-inflicted paranoid state which he expressed through his art. Dali would show this through double or multiple images conveying an irrational dream. Dali’s ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’,1937 is a painting which was produced though his paranoiac critical method, depicting the story of Narcissus.
Metamorphosis is a Latin book containing over 250 myths, including the Greek myth of Narcissus. ‘Meta’ meaning form, ‘morph’ meaning change and -osis, denoting change or process is the idea of something changing into a completely different being. Some might say this illustrates the idea of Narcissus changing, becoming obsessed with his image, therefore resulting in a change of personality. Narcissus is a hunter in Greek mythology and after a long hunt, he lies by a pool of water to rest. Whilst fetching some water from the lake he sees an exciting image, this being his reflection. Obsessing over this image, he tries to grasp it, being unaware of its intangibility. He becomes so frustrated that he kills himself. This painting is Dali’s own interpretation of the Greek myth of Narcissus. However, it is a clear example and consequence of the sin pride. Pride is the excessive absorption of oneself, which is clearly the case for Narcissus. The tragic death of Narcissus was due to his obsession with his appearance. This can also be reflected in today’s Society, people of all ages obsess over their appearance, trying to fit within ‘normal beauty standards’ in some case leading them to severe distress if these standards cannot be achieved and unfortunately in some critical cases, suicide.
The myth of Narcissus inspired Caravaggio and therefore he created a painting called ‘Narcissus’ (1594 – 1956). The reflection in this image is deep and dark suggesting his dangerous thoughts concerning his image. The shadowing of his torso emphasises his obsession with his facial features. The left hand is positioned in the water, which looks as though he is grasping the water in frustration being unable to fulfil his satisfaction. The myth of Narcissus is a morality tale, teaching us that self-obsession has damaging effects on our lives and others around us. People in Society have the potential to become over indulged in their appearances causing them to become depressed and disappointed as they are unable to reach unrealistic expectations from magazines and peers.
Dali used a technique called “hand painted colour photography” to convey the hallucinatory effect. ‘Hand painted colour photography’ is a painting form in art with high realistic detail, mirroring the realistic definition of a camera. This was the first painting Dali created through his paranoiac critical method and Dali described it as a “spontaneous method of irrational knowledge”. The painting is oil on canvas, 50.8 x 78.2, surrounded by a gold frame. The form on the right appears to be a stone hand as the structure bending forward looks like a forefinger bending with a nail and next to it appears to be a thumb. Between this finger and thumb is held an egg with a flower, at first glance, the egg looks as if it is cracking and ‘birthing’ a Narcissus flower, although the crack could be a shadow cast by the flower. Dali used an egg in his painting to portray spherical images, love and hope which is ironic because there is no hope for narcissists, they are trapped in their ideal of perfection. To the left, there is a much less defined form again suggesting the shape of a hand, as well as a body. The reflection of the form is distorted exposing Narcissus’ disturbing thoughts.
At the base of the stone hand, there are many ants crawling down the thumb. According to a ‘Dali Paris’ article on Dalian symbolism, ants are an indication of death, decay and sexual desire. It continues by stating that when Dali was younger, he saw an insect being eaten by ants leaving a bare exoskeleton. The exoskeleton being engulfed by a starved dog may be a suggestion that Dali’s visual of an insect being eaten is a reoccurring vision. The form on the left looks like the same figure as the hand on the right at first sight, however, looking closer, it also resembles a human figure (Narcissus) looking into the water below. The knee is raised and the calf in the front of the figure mirrors the shape of the thumb on the stone hand. The head of the figure is in the same position as the egg with a crack visible at the top and even the back leg is in the same position as the ring finger on the stone hand. They are reflections of each other, adding a sense of unease and insecurity as to the reality of what you are viewing. The reflection in the water looks unclear and blurred, further depicting Narcissus’ and Dali’s unclear thoughts. In the background, there is a figure on a red plinth on a chequered board. The figure on the plinth represents a narcissistic person, grasping attention and being extrovert. Furthermore, the plinth and ground is the colour red, standing out as bold and dangerous, hinting the spilled blood of Narcissus. This is reflected in today’s Society, people standing on a pedestal, therefore this figure could be Narcissus. The orange glow throughout the painting lights up the landscape and the dark clouds create a threatening mood, foreshadowing what is yet to come. The imagery at the back has no correlation with the serene landscape in the foreground. The distinction between the calm lake and the chaotic background is clear, creating contrast. The sky fades from orange and red hues leading to dark grey.
The distinction between Rodin’s, ‘The Kiss’ and Dali’s ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ might seem obvious as one is a painting and the other is a sculpture. However, their similarities in theme overcome their initial differences. In both narratives, Narcissus, Paolo and Francesca all sin which ultimately leads them to their deaths and for both pieces, the endings are distressing and tragic, leaving an immediate message for the viewer, stressing the result of ‘sin’. ‘The Kiss’ being a three-hundred and sixty degree’s sculpture and relatively large, allows the viewer to feel like they are part of the narrative whereas, ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ is a small painting which creates a distance between the viewer and the narrative. ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ is ambiguous, letting the viewer use their imagination, for example, the figure of Narcissus which can also be viewed as a hand. Rodin’s ‘The Kiss’ is obvious and presents no such ambiguity. Both are challenging in subject matter, ‘The Kiss’ is nude and ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ is difficult to interpret. As I mention in my introduction, I find it fascinating how passion is portrayed so differently in both the painting and sculpture. In ‘The Kiss’, passion is exchanged between Francesca and Paolo however, in ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’, no passion is exchanged, leaving Narcissus in despair. Furthermore, it is clear from ‘The Kiss’ that the passion being expressed is a sexual lust, however, in ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’, Narcissus’ feelings of passion are unclear and self-directed. Death is also a significant theme presented differently in both. Even though ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ is ambiguous, both pieces of art appear to be ‘staged’ right before death takes its toll. In addition, when initially looking at the art, death is not an expected theme. This projects a powerful message to the viewer, allowing them to experience their last hope of desperation with the characters. However, there is an issue with both pieces of art as without knowing the backstory behind each piece, the viewer will be unaware of who the characters are, the purpose of their actions and the significance of the story. For example, people might perceive ‘The Kiss’ as two lover’s embracing, without any understanding that this is the last time they will kiss and they are in an adulterous relationship. With ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ being an extremely ambiguous piece, viewers who do not know the backstory of this painting will not understand the tragedy and narrative of this painting.
In conclusion, Rodin and Dali have portrayed sin through their art through the use of narratives and this directly engages the viewer. Dali did this through his ‘hallucinatory’ like painting, expressing the tragic death of Narcissus and Rodin did this with his passionate sculpture, both encapsulating tragic and devastating endings. It is tragic only because we know the end of the story, we know that Narcissus, Paolo and Francesca’s deaths are inevitable and we know that this is due to their immoral actions, giving off a deeper religious message and teaching us the consequences of sin. Mentioned previously, these pieces are extremely difficult to understand due to the complex nature of the painting and the sculpture, unless the viewer has researched and has a substantial amount of background knowledge. Therefore, not only do Dali and Rodin both portray sin, but they also use their artwork as a stark moral warning as long as one ultimately understands the narrative.
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