Balzac in Dominican Robe 1893, Musée Rodin cast no. 9 in 1981 Bronze 41 ¾  x  20 1/8 x 20 in. Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collection While working on the Monument to Balzac Rodin experimented with different poses— clothed and nude. Balzac's hefty build, with a large potbelly and short legs, offered Rodin a bit of a challenge. He experimented with many different ways to depict Balzac's great physique. The most successful solution was to clothe Balzac in a robe that would conceal his hefty shape. Conveniently, Balzac was known to wear a loose-fitting robe while working at night. One of several robed studies, Balzac in Domincan Robe portrays the author surrounded by his main attributes— books and manuscripts. Portraying a figure with identifying attributes was a classical convention, perhaps adding a more timeless appeal to the work. Rodin continued to experiment with Balzac's pose and dress; however, the robe used in this early study would be similar to the dress of the final model.