Rodin and the Dance of Shiva

Book Details

• Author: Katia Legeret - Manochhaya

• Publisher: Niyogi Books

• Edition: First Edition

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 148

• ISBN: 9789385285158

• Languages: English

• Package Dimensions: 9.0 x 7.7 x 0.6 inches

About The Book

In The Dance of Shiva, Katia Legeret-Manochhaya explores the fascinating and little-known connection between Auguste Rodin’s sculptures and the Indian artistic tradition. In 1913, photographs of the Nataraja bronze from the Chennai Museum inspired Rodin’s text “The Dance of Shiva,” where he presented a visionary interpretation of the cosmic dancer, Shiva. Rodin, towards the end of his life, drew profound links between his dance sculptures, the Cambodian dancer drawings, and his private collection of ancient Venus and Buddha sculptures, as well as Indian wood carvings.

Rodin’s androgynous vision of Shiva—the Lord of actor-dancers—invites readers into a new reading of his works, offering a fresh understanding of the fusion of sculpture, dance, music, theatre, poetry, and architecture. The book brings together historians, artists, and poets from both France and India, offering a rich, international perspective on Rodin’s influence and his unique vision of the interconnectedness of art forms.

Through this exploration, The Dance of Shiva uncovers the ways in which Rodin's engagement with Indian art and culture transformed his work, and how it continues to resonate with contemporary interpretations of Indian theatre and dance.