Photo of ancient Egyptian block statue next to a Rodin sculpture with a similar shape in the ISAW galleries

Ancient Egyptian block statue alongside Rodin sculpture in ISAW galleries.

Expanding the Ancient World Workshop:

Rodin's Egypt: A Conversation on Sculpting the Human Body

Carl Walsh

Assistant Curator, ISAW

This workshop will take place in person at ISAW.

Registration is required at THIS LINK.

Expanding the Ancient World is a series of professional development workshops and online resources for teachers. Keyed to the NYC Department of Education Social Studies Scope and Sequence, this program is designed to offer K-12 educators opportunities to develop their knowledge of the ancient world and to provide classroom-ready strategies for teaching the past with reliable sources. Featuring inquiry-based workshops, flexible lesson plans, and up-to-date research, Expanding the Ancient World aims to equip teachers with information and skills that they can share with their students. CTLE credits will be offered to New York State teachers.

This in-person workshop invites teachers to discover the profound impact of ancient Egyptian art on the French master sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), through both the sculptors works and through the Egyptian antiquities he collected. Throughout the workshop you will take part in a series of object-based learning activities that explore how Rodin studied ancient Egyptian statuary and reliefs, which subsequently fed into his own practice and revolutionary approach to the human form. From the monumental fragments of pharaohs to the animal forms of gods, these activities will delve into what made the ancient Egyptian body so enchanting to the sculptor, but also explore how the ancient Egyptians themselves conceptualized the human body. The workshop will take place in person in the ISAW gallery, where the exhibition Rodin's Egypt is currently on view (through March 15, 2026).

Workshop led by Carl Walsh (Assistant Curator, ISAW).

Participants will receive 1.5 CTLE hours.

If you have any questions regarding the Expanding the Ancient World program please email .

Please check isaw.nyu.edu for event updates.

ISAW is committed to providing a positive and educational experience for all guests and participants who attend our public programming. We ask that all attendees follow the guidelines listed in our community standards policy.