The Thinker, one of the most iconic sculptures of Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), is celebrated for its unique harmony, potency of form, and for its complex symbolic narrative; it originated from the sculptor’s fascination with fragments. It is one of the numerous sculptures and reliefs that adorn the sculptor’s life work, The Gates of Hell. The Gates inscribe Rodin in the rich tradition of decorative portals, uniting both architectural and sculptural form and function, a tradition that can be traced from the periods of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations through classical antiquity to the present. Involvement with architectural and decorative sculpture marked the beginning of Rodin’s career, when he worked with several different decorative artists and ornamentalists, and when he was engaged in the decoration of several buildings in Paris and Brussels. The importance of this kind of artistic foundation was emphasised by Rodin, himself, who claimed in his later years: ‘I started as a craftsman, and then I became an artist. It’s the right one, the only method’. He also had experience as a ceramic decorator working for the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. This aspect of Rodin’s career and his interest in the decorative arts had a strong impact on his sculptural production, which is explained in the example of The Thinker and its complex history and meaning.