Rodin_2011

The history of Succubus is complicated by the fact that Rodin was indifferent to its title, which continually changed. First cast in bronze in 1888 , Rodin exhibited the sculpture in 1889 at the Monet-Rodin exhibition at the Galerie Georges-Petit as “ Sphinx , bronze ” (no. 11 ). Hecuba Barking was the title given in exhibition catalogues of 1900 (Paris) and 1902 (Prague). To confuse matters further, a similar, probably earlier work titled The Sphinx appeared with the Succubus in both the 1889 and 1900 exhibitions; Rodin evidently wanted the viewer to compare and contrast the two works. In 1913 , George Coquiot’s monograph on Rodin briefly mentions a figure titled Succubus, but it was not until later that the work was consistently known by this title. A succubus is a demon that can transform itself into a woman and have sex with a man while he is asleep. Several early bronze casts were produced by Griffoul and Lorge in the 1880 s under the title Sphinx , Kneeling Sphinx , and Sphinx Woman . According to the Musée Rodin, some casts without foundry marks were among the early lifetime casts, produced by Griffoul & Lorge or François Rudier.