Rodin's The Burghers of Calais (Original)

Artist: John Keay
Medium: Watercolour on Board
Size: 9" x 12" (225mm x 300mm)
Date: 1981
Code: KeayRodin

This is the unique original Watercolour painting by John Keay.

A Monument to a Hoax? Did King Edward really intend to sacrifice the six burghers of Calais, or was their release planned, as some historians believe?

Top left: the great sculptor, August Rodin in later life.

Top right: Rodin puts the finishing touches to one of his masterpieces, The Thinker, prior to its being cast in bronze.

Main picture: twelve years after Rodin's death, The Burghers of Calais was finally transferred to the Place d'Armes in Calais, and erected at ground level in accordance with the sculptor's wishes.

Original artwork for the illustrations on p23 of Look and Learn issue no. 1002 (23 May 1981).

• Artist Biography
  John R Keay; UK
  Artist who contributed to the 'This Made Headlines' and 'Dateline' series which appeared on the inside front cover of Look and Learn in the late 1970s.
  
  Keay had a highly distinctive style, achieving an unusual smoothness of texture in his illustrations, both in colour and black and white. He usually signed his pictures “Keay”. Keay was represented by John Martin & Artists and also illustrated books, including Kings of Israel by David Kent (1981).
  
  John Keay is not to be mistaken for Jack Keay (qv) who also contributed to Look and Learn.