Rodin’s Burghers of Calais: Empathy & Scale

      Six figures, **no pedestal**. The monument becomes **encounter**.

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      ### Innovations

      - **Equal dignity** among individuals.  
      - **Hands** speak **fate** as much as faces.  
      - **Ground‑level** display—civic memory via **proximity**.

      | Focus | What to notice |
      |---|---|
      | Drapery | Weathered weight |
      | Faces | Varied resolve |
      | Hands | Speech without words |

      > Courage looks like **uncertainty** that still walks forward.

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      ### Context & Background

      - Commission tied to **historical sacrifice** and **municipal identity**.  
      - Rodin resisted **heroic pedestalism** in favor of **human scale**.  
      - Casts vary in **patina** and **site height**.

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      ### Deeper Dive: Proximity & Empathy

      At ground level, you meet **eyes**, **hands**, and **weight**—not abstraction. Drapery feels like **weather** made visible; gestures carry **ethical load**. Rodin turns civic memory into **shared space** rather than **spectacle**.

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      ### Quick Facts

      | Item | Detail |
      |---|---|
      | Group | 6 individuals |
      | Display | Often ground‑level |
      | Material | Bronze |
      | Best Reading | Circle figures, pause at hands |

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      ### FAQs

      - **Why so somber?** It honors **grave decision** without theatrics.  
      - **Where to start?** Find the **perimeter** and walk **slowly**.  
      - **Are copies identical?** Foundry and patina differences shape **light**.

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      ### Pro Tips

      - View each figure **solo**, then the **ensemble**.  
      - Photograph hands in **soft light**.  
      - Compare height differences across **sites**.