Rodin pays homage to the ancient Greek world by portraying Minerva, the patron of the arts and of Athens. In the mid-1890s Rodin produced a series of busts of classical goddesses inspired by the features of Mrs Russell, the Italian wife of an Australian Impressionist painter. Rodin considered her to be the most beautiful woman in France. Most of the busts were carved in marble alone. For this bust, made for the collector James Smith, he used two materials, marble and bronze, to play with the differing fall of light on them. Lively highlights reflect off the grimacing heads on the bronze helmet. In contrast, the light is evenly absorbed on the marble face.
Rodin anatoa heshima kwa ulimwengu wa kale wa Ugiriki kwa kuigiza Minerva, mlinzi wa sanaa na wa Athene. Katika miaka ya 1890, Rodin alitengeneza mfululizo wa sanamu za vifuani za miungu ya kale, akiongozwa na sura ya Bi Russell, mke wa Kiitaliano wa mchoraji wa Australia. Rodin alimwona kuwa mwanamke mrembo zaidi nchini Ufaransa. Sehemu kubwa ya sanamu hizo zilitengenezwa kwa marumaru pekee. Kwa bust hii, iliyofanywa kwa mkusanyaji James Smith, alitumia vifaa viwili, marumaru na shaba, kucheza na kuanguka tofauti ya mwanga juu yao. Vipande vyenye kuvutia huonyeshwa kwenye vichwa vya shaba vilivyochongoka. Kinyume chake, mwanga hufyonzwa kwa usawa kwenye uso wa marumaru.