A woman walking with an umbrella in the line of sight of Rodin's 'The Thinker'

French sculptor Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" is probably the most famous sculpture in Japan. I think so because it has been used many times in TV commercials, even though it is a mere sculpture and not a celebrity. A few years ago, he was used in a commercial for a certain securities company, and even if the sculpture itself does not appear in the commercial, there have been commercials based on his pose. The thinker is a celebrity in the sculpture world.

Although his appearance in TV commercials makes it seem as if he is sought after only in the advertising industry, the sculpture itself is also quite popular. In Japan alone, there are four "Thinker" sculptures, and if you look around the world, nearly 30 "Thinkers" are still thinking somewhere today. Some are thinking in the U.S., some in France, and some in Brazil.

The "Thinker" in the photo is one of four in Japan and is in the collection of the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo. For some reason, this extremely famous work of art is not treated well here, being placed in the vestibule of the museum building designed by Le Corbusier, rather than inside. When I look at it exposed to the wind and rain, Kenji Miyazawa immediately appears in my mind and I begin to think of "Ame ni mo Makezu, Kaze ni mo Makezu" (Don't be afraid of the rain, don't be afraid of the wind), which is a proof that "The Thinker" has become familiar with Japan.

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