<P> The Thinker was initially named The Poet (French: Le Poète), and was part of a large commission begun in 1880 for a doorway surround called The Gates of Hell . Rodin based this on The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, and most of the figures in the work represented the main characters in the poem with The Thinker at the center of the composition over the doorway and about larger than most of the other figures . Some critics believe that it was originally intended to depict Dante at the gates of Hell, pondering his great poem . Other critics reject that theory, pointing out that the figure is naked while Dante is fully clothed throughout his poem, and that the sculpture's physique does not correspond to Dante's effete figure . The sculpture is nude, as Rodin wanted a heroic figure in the tradition of Michelangelo, to represent intellect as well as poetry . </P> <P> This detail from the Gates of Hell was first named The Thinker by foundry workers, who noted its similarity to Michelangelo's statue of Lorenzo de Medici called Il Penseroso (The Thinker), and Rodin decided to treat the figure as an independent work at a larger size . The figure was designed to be seen from below and is normally displayed on a fairly high plinth, although the heights vary considerably chosen by the various owners . </P> <P> The Thinker has been cast in multiple versions and is found around the world, but the history is complicated of the progression from models to castings and is still not entirely clear . About 28 monumental - sized bronze casts are in museums and public places . In addition, there are sculptures of different study - sized scales and plaster versions (often painted bronze) in both monumental and study sizes . Some newer castings have been produced posthumously and are not considered part of the original production . </P> <P> Rodin made the first small plaster version around 1880 . The first large - scale bronze casting was finished in 1902 but not presented to the public until 1904 . It became the property of the city of Paris thanks to a subscription organized by Rodin admirers, and was put in front of the Panthéon in 1906 . In 1922, it was moved to the Hôtel Biron, which had been transformed into the Rodin Museum . </P>

Who was the model for rodin the thinker