The Thinker (French: Le Penseur) is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin, usually placed on a stone pedestal. The work shows a nude male figure of over life-size sitting on a rock with his chin resting on one hand as though deep in thought, often used as an image to represent philosophy. Rodin first conceived the figure as part of his work The Gates of Hell commissioned in 1880, but the first of the familiar monumental bronze castings did not appear until 1904.
The really interesting thing about The Thinker is that it was developed over a period of 14 years, and was influenced by other pieces by Rodin that were unfinished during his life (The Gates of Hell and the Monument to Balzac, both of which would only be cast after Rodin passed away). In large part, it was impact of the The Thinker on his reputation that enabled these later works to be cast after his death.