Why is "The Thinker" Thinking Like This
It's a Brain Thing
Was it a depiction of the science of the brain, the demonstration of hemispherical discovery, or even sexual manifestation.
The sculpture was created by a Frenchman named Auguste Rodin in the late 19th century. This iconic figure was originally called "Le Penseur". In English it is known as The Thinker, so strong an image, that it is easily brought to mind without even seeing it again.
Looking at the famous statue analytically though, the question that arises is; why does the Thinker have his right elbow on his left leg in this unnatural pose?
The statue depicts a man with his right elbow is touching his left knee… most miss or do not ponder. However if you attempt this physically the pose feels very unnatural. In fact when you try it, it’s actually awkward to do… so Why is the Thinker, Thinking like this?
Could it be just a gimmick the artist sculpted as a mind joke, or is there a deeper meaning? Quite honestly I do not know and google searches do not help in this vein.
So here are some thoughts
But, Feel free to add your own ideas as well, as it can be a good thinking project for you thinker types.
First Idea: The left brain knows and controls what the right hand is doing... in fact most right-handed people have left-hemisphere-dominant brains (and vice versa). This left-side dominance display greater learning, information processing, language and speech aptitude/s. So the right hand of the thinker allows us to understand he is problem solving, looking for the solution or how to address it.
As the man sits with chiseled muscles depicting a life of physical action, he sits still in a position that does not lend itself to continued action. So if you are a physical person and want to really think, you purposefully sit in a position not conducive to action. Was this to depict that cognition was separate from action, or that this man was beyond the mindless activity and now deeper in the thoughts of humanness.
Second Idea: Is this a sign of severe intimidation as the full body posture may suggest? Just look, the body is folded as protection, the head bowed as opposed to lifted for inspiration, the heals are up to flee if needed, the body is not grounded or settled. The mouth is compressed to hold in a scream, with the hand even more awkwardly facing outward in an even more contorted anguish.
Third Idea: Could it be the ravages of masturbation on the human, which I will not go into, but you may by following this link:
What are your thoughts about what the thinker is thinking about?
Inspired by a recent post: https://steemit.com/art/@leoplaw/pondering-the-thinker
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Image Credit: sixdayart, mercedesbenz. azalaw
You know what? I had never consciously realised that he was placing right elbow on left knee like that. I always thought it was right on right. I like the whole right brain left brain idea; though I'm not sure how much the ancient Greeks new about that.
Perhaps it simply is the best way to show off the male physique in a sitting pose.
Hmm, I'll have to think (:-) ) about it some more.
~ takes up thinking pose ~
Cg
Yes it is possible, but there are way so many other poses that do more than show of the physic... and as everyone nowadays is so enthralled over 6 pack abs, we need to ponder did they back then as well? This posture does not show off the male as much as Michelangelos David, or the Hercules and Cacus sculpture by Baccio Bandinelli on Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, Europe.
With DaVinci breaking through so much of mans exterior and other profound thinkers of the day, the right, left hemisphere thing seem plausible to me as much was lost to time. However I foundthis onlin...
I am sure it was earlier than that, but who can say for sure.
Agreed; however I was talking about in the sitting position, perhaps is was one of those things, that artists of the time said couldn't be done. "You simply cannot portray a flattering male pose, sitting down."
I wouldn't put it past the ancient Greeks to realise that they were different hemispheres of the brain, and that they were specialised.
It's an interesting train of thought to follow though, was the statue always called; The Thinker, or did that name come later I wonder?
Cg
Hmm a great question that I didn't run across... maybe, time has funny was as it continues to pass.
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That sitting position comes quite natural to me I do a lot of my thinking in the bathroom lol! I can imagine if that sculpture was sculpted in modern times it would have a cell phone in the right hand.
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Thanks for making me think. The Gates of Hell by Dante was the inspiration of Rodin's statue which was part of a sculpture so much more involved than just The Thinker. He is uncomfortable. His face is pained with flared nostrils and pursed lips. His toes grip the uncomfortable rock he awkwardly sits upon. His muscles are all stressed and he is twisted in such a way that does make on think.
Parhaps he is balancing ? In pain possibly? I do like the left versus right brain ideology though. Intriguing really concidering the complexity of the original piece. There is alot of pain and suffering depicted that would suggest pain and his contemplation of good vs evil. In the Bible the Right hand is of God and the left hand is for Satan the fallen. Maybe he is caught between the two?
The reference to masterbation may not be far off either concidering it was once thought of as evil but is in nature pleasurable. Religion can twist what is meant for good in nature. Dante's Inferno was the inspiration behind this.
The statue was to one of two that guard the gates of hell. The original piece by Rodin is strewn with pained bodys and sexually contorted people twisted up in innocence , women and children, intertwined with what was posed by human law as forbidden. There are some very suggestive pieces within the whole.
I believe the idea of the whole piece of art including The Thinker was to experiment and defy conformity. The poet was expressing life and using his imagination to twist the rules of nature a bit.....I read Dante's Inferno about 25 years ago and that's my take. Good memory jarring. Awesome post. Thank you. Checked out this link http://www.rodinmuseum.org/collections/collectiontheme/4.html