Archive · 13 Jun 2025
Rodin’s 'Despair' Sculpture Rediscovered, Fetches Nearly a Million
Imagine finding a long-lost treasure!
That's what happened with a sculpture called 'Le Désespoir' by Rodin.
It was hiding in plain sight, thought to be a copy, until someone realized it was the real deal.
This rare sculpture, which shows a woman in a pose of sadness, sold for a lot of money.
It's like when someone finds a forgotten masterpiece and it becomes famous again.
It's not the first time something like this has happened in art; other famous paintings, like one by Berény and another by Van Gogh, were also found after being missing for a while.
A sculpture by Auguste Rodin, 'Le Désespoir,' was authenticated and sold for nearly a million dollars after being rediscovered.
The sculpture, created in 1890, had been presumed a reproduction by its owners for years.
The discovery of 'Le Désespoir' mirrors similar events in art history, such as the rediscovery of Róbert Berény's 'Sleeping Lady with Black Vase.'
The 'Sleeping Lady' was found in the background of the movie 'Stuart Little'.
Vincent Van Gogh’s 'Sunset at Montmajour' was authenticated after being dismissed as a forgery.
- Who
- Auguste Rodin created the sculpture, and it was rediscovered by an auctioneer and sold by the family that owned it. Róbert Berény's and Vincent Van Gogh's works were also rediscovered.
- What
- The authentication and auction of Rodin's 'Le Désespoir' sculpture and other art rediscovery stories.
- When
- The sculpture was created in 1890. The Berény painting was found in 2009, and the Van Gogh in 2013.
- Where
- The sculpture was auctioned in France.
- Why
- The rediscovery of lost artworks highlights the value of art and the unexpected nature of art history.
- Artwork
- Le Désespoir by Rodin
- Year Created
- 1890
- Auction Price
- Nearly a million dollars
- Other Artwork Rediscovered
- Sleeping Lady with Black Vase by Berény and Sunset at Montmajour by Van Gogh