A classic piece of art by Auguste Rodin, “The Thinker,” was cast, and it was sold at auction for 10.7 million euros ($11.14 million) on Thursday in Paris.
The casting, one of about 40 genuine outstanding ones, was expected to sell for between 9 and 14 million euros, according to Christie’s, the auction house. At a Sotheby’s auction in New York in 2013, one of Rodin’s “Thinkers” reached a record price, selling for $15.3 million.
When “The Thinker” was first imagined by Rodin in 1880, it was known as “The Poet” and was intended to be the focal point of “The Gates of Hell,” another significant piece by the French sculptor. Its initial size was roughly 70 centimeters (28 inches).
When the statue was first enlarged in 1904, massive man-sized variants, like those on showcase in the Paris Rodin Museum, were created. These versions were even more well-liked because they featured a man who appears to be deep in thought but whose potent figure implies a huge capacity for action.
The replica that Christie’s auctioned this Thursday was the same dimensions as the classic.