A small marble sculpture long believed to be a mere copy of Auguste Rodin’s work has been revealed as an original — and just sold for nearly $1 million at auction in France.
Titled “Despair”, the 28.5cm (11-inch) sculpture depicts a woman hugging her knees and holding one foot — a symbol of sorrow first crafted by Rodin in 1892 as part of his ambitious project, The Gates of Hell. The piece mysteriously vanished after it was sold at auction in 1906, and its whereabouts remained unknown — until now.
The sculpture had quietly sat on a family’s piano for years, dismissed as a replica. But in early 2025, the owners approached French auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac, who launched a deep investigation into its origins. After months of work, he presented the sculpture to the Comité Rodin, the official research body on the sculptor’s works. Six weeks later, the committee confirmed what the family barely dared hope: it was a genuine Rodin original.
Rouillac called it an “extremely rare” find, and the piece was quickly prepared for auction. On Monday, it sold for €860,000 ($982,000; £725,000).
According to the Musée Rodin, Rodin crafted several versions of Despair after the original figure was met with acclaim. This version is now celebrated not only as a rediscovered masterpiece but also as a symbol of artistic endurance.
“We have rediscovered it,” Rouillac told AFP. For the family, what began as a dusty curiosity became an unexpected fortune — and a new chapter in Rodin’s storied legacy.
