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How did Auguste Rodin earn a living after leaving art school?

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Portrait of Auguste Rodin standing indoors, wearing a buttoned, two-toned coat with a full beard and tousled hair, looking slightly to the side. — Auguste Rodin French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

After failing the competitive examinations for the École des Beaux-Arts three times, Auguste Rodin began earning his living in 1858 by performing decorative stonework.1

Throughout his early career, he continued to support himself through various commercial and collaborative projects, including:

Working with the sculptor Albert Carrier-Belleuse.1
Collaborating on the execution of decorative bronzes.1
Creating decorations for public monuments in Brussels.1
Designing for the Sèvres porcelain factory at the request of his former master, Carrier-Belleuse.1

These professional obligations often pressured Rodin to focus on decorative tasks, which delayed the development of his own expressive style until he was inspired by his travels to Italy in 1875.1