The central motif of this low-relief carving is a weeping woman “with a bitterly weeping, grief-stricken face and stringy hair.” This mournful figure is placed between centaurs―half-man, half-horse creatures that tortured the souls of the damned in Hell. This work was intended to adorn the bottom section of the left door of The Gates of Hell, but is not present in the version we know today.

Rodin was particularly fond of this figure of grief, which he re-used, carved in the round, as a work in its own right. Like a number of his contemporaries, he enjoyed experimenting with the effects produced by making versions of the same work in different materials. The Weeping Woman―depicted in plaster, at least three times in marble, and in bronze with different presentation styles―is an excellent example.

The artwork in the museum

Permanent collections – ground floor, Room 5

We cannot guarantee the presence of all our artworks; some may be out on loan.