From 1891, the moment he received the commission for Balzac, to 1898, the year he completed the sculpture, Rodin worked ceaselessly on this masterpiece, which he regarded as the summit of his achievement. As he worked on his creation, the artist’s way of thinking underwent a veritable upheaval: a precise analysis of the many studies Rodin made elucidates each stage of its evolution. Only at the end of a long and slow maturation process did this sober statue emerge simplified to the extreme. Despite the incomprehension of the press and public at that time, Balzac heralded the works of future generations of sculptors.