François-Auguste-René Rodin was born in a poor section of Paris, France, on November 12, 1840. He was the second son of Jean-Baptiste Rodin and Marie Cheffer. His father was employed as a clerk at the police department. He had one sister, Maria, who was two years older. Because of his nearsightedness, Auguste struggled in school, but seemed to find contentment while drawing. Largely self-taught up to the age of 13, he began his formal schooling at the age of 14 at Ecole Imperiale Speciale de Dessin et de Mathematiques, where he studied painting and drawing. For the next four years, he learned the basic skills of an artist. Read more...

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