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Canberra Today 22°/24° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Canberra Symphony raffling a Rodin sculpture, not your usual raffle

rodin

THE Canberra Symphony Orchestra have announced they are raffling a sculpture by none other than Auguste Rodin.

The CSO was somewhat surprised to be the beneficiaries of the work by one of the great masters, valued by the Tax Office at $165,000.

“I’d like to make a donation” is a sentence that Isobel Griffin, Philanthropy Manager with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, sometimes hears when answering the phone. “I’d like to donate a Rodin sculpture” is a sentence she’s only heard once.

Slightly shocked, Isobel asked the anonymous donor to repeat themselves to see if she had heard correctly. Had this person just donated a sculpture by the iconic 19th century artist responsible for some of the most recognisable works in the world? It would seem so. So, now what?

Isobel set out to decide how this sculpture could best benefit the orchestra. “Obviously, though it would be fantastic to keep the sculpture in the office and show it off every-so-often at concerts, finding a way to monetise the sculpture would be of most use for the running of the organisation,” Isobel said.

The piece, entitled ‘Chini’ La Danaide is one of ten bronze sculptures cast from an original plaster cast made and signed by Rodin in 1883. The cast was given to Italian artist, Chini, in 1901 in exchange for an ink portrait of Rodin, but the cast remained unused until some eighty years on when renowned sculptor, John Robinson, used the cast for its intended purpose – to produce bronze sculptures.

To enter the raffle one must first donate $10,000 to the Kingsland Fellowship Program which nurtures professional pathways for talented young musicians who have completed pre-professional training. The Program offers the next generation of young Australian musicians the guidance and mentorship of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are then $1,000 each.

Only thirty tickets will be sold and the draw will be made by the Ambassador of France on 17 September.

For information or to express your interest email philanthropy@cso.org.au or phone (02) 6247 9191.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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