Auguste Rodin (French Sculptor, 1840-1917), the most recognized important sculptor of the nineteenth century. Born of a modest family and rejected by the dignified Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he was largely self taught. Working as an apprentice and with other sculptures he quickly established his own work.  

Understanding his own vision pretty quickly, between 1872 and 1885 Rodin worked prodigiously until he established his reputation. By 1884 he was coming into his own and was becoming quite famous though very much still daring, controversial, and modern. He had many detractors and was a difficult personality in public; but he also had a handful of powerful supporters in the arts which understood his genius. He would win five of France's largest commissions for monuments during the 1880s and 1890s; and would eventually produce a vast oeuvre of drawings and small sculptures that very much still resonate today.  

His innovations in form and subject matter established his reputation as the first master of modern sculpture. His most famous work is probably The Thinker, although there is virtually countless others. 

Rodin was a good friend of Paul Helleu and it may have been through Helleu that Sargent  met Rodin. In February of '84 both Rodin and Sargent were invited to exhibit at the inaugural exhibition of the Sosciété des Vingts (LesXX) in Brussels [1]. This painting may have been during that time.

Sargent would paint another in 1915: 
 

Portrait de Rodin
1915

1) Some other American artists that exhibited at the Sosciété des Vingts (LesXX)  were Whistler, and William Merrit Chase.

Exhibitions

Exposition Internationale de peinture et de sculpture, Paris, Galerie George Petit, mai 1885;

The Centennial Association, Philadelphie, 173 Chestnut Street, 1927;

Les Goncourts et leur temps, Paris, Musée des arts décoratifs, juin - aout 1946;

Sargent, Centre culturel américain, Paris, 14 février - 30 Mars 1963;

Uncanny spectacle: The public career of the young John Singer Sargent, Williamstown, Massachusetts, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 15 juin - 17 Septembre 1997, n° 25;

Les impressionnistes américains de 1880 à 1915, Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, 7 juin - 20 octobre 2002, n°42.

Bibliography

"Rodin et Son Oeuvre", La Plume, 1900, repr. p. 395;

Paul Gsell, "Chez Rodin", L'Art et les Artistes, n°23, février 1907, p. 395;

Auguste Rodin, "Rodin par lui même", Je sais tout, 15 mars 1910, repr. dans le supplément d'Art;

Muriel Golkowska, Rodin, Londres 1912, repr. en frontispice;

"Rodin, l'homme et l'oeuvre", Numéro Spécial de l'Art et les Artistes, Paris, 1914, p. 43;

Véronique Wiesinger, "La Politique d'Acquisition de l'Etat français sous la Troisième République en matière d'art étranger contemporain: l'exemple américain (1870-1940), " Bulletin de la Société de l'Histoire de l'Art français, 1993, p. 296;

Trevor Fairbrother, John Singer Sargent, éd. Harry N. Abrams, 1994, repr. p. 60-61;

Cat. exp. Uncanny spectacle: The public career of the young John Singer Sargent, Williamstown, Massachusetts, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 15 juin - 17 Septembre 1997, n° 25, repr. p. 139;

Les impressionnistes américains de 1880 à 1915, Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, 7 juin - 20 octobre 2002, n°42, p. 83.
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• See the year in review 1883-1884
• There are a number of outstanding sites on Rodin
• See the Musée Rodin, Paris (click on history or collection)
• Rodin-art.com
• Fine Arts Department of Boston College (images only)
• Gregory Melle's Personal View and Images of Rodin (some really good images)