Auguste Rodin The Thinker Sculpture vs The Gorilla

This pensive primate cuts a striking figure as he attempts to ape the pose of Auguste Rodin's famous statue The Thinker. The philosophical simian was captured at Moscow Zoo while deep in thought and bearing an undeniable resemblance to the French sculptor's most famous work. The 15-year-old gorilla was captured on camera by Russian photographer Sergei Gladyshev as he mimicked the renowned marble and bronze sculpture of a man battling with a powerful internal struggle.

He said: 'Like the other great apes, gorillas can think, laugh and grieve about the past and future just like humans.

'I have seen him in this pose only once, but it was a special moment. He looks so deep in thought, like he might be plotting the rise of the apes. 'But he certainly seemed quiet and peaceful when I took the shot.

'I love to take pictures that make comparisons with the human world and I love photographing animals, especially ones that throw up interesting pictures such as this one.'

Originally named The Poet, the piece was part of a commission by the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, to create a monumental portal to act as the door of the museum.

Rodin based his theme on Dante's The Divine Comedy and entitled the portal The Gates of Hell.

The awesome sculpture was exhibited individually in 1888 and became an independent work.

After being enlarged in 1904, it became hugely popular and has become one of the most celebrated sculptures ever created. More than twenty monumental-sized bronze casts of the sculpture are currently in museums around the world.

Numerous casts exist worldwide, including one in the gardens of the Muse Rodin, a gift to the City of Paris installed outside the Panthon in 1906, and another outside Rodin's house in Meudon, on the tomb of the sculptor and his wife.

Sergei spent three hours snapping shots of the gorilla before he pulled his thoughtful pose. He said: 'When animals act like this you can see why they are of such wonder. You question if he is thinking about something deeper than just food or his offspring.

'It is funny how similar the pose is to Rodin's sculpture. He looks quite morbid but really he and the troop are very happy.

'He may look serious, but minutes before he and a baby gorilla were playing together. It is great to see animals like this living healthy and long lives.

'It is wonderful getting close to the gorillas. At times, they look and act exactly like humans, which is why they have so many people watching them.' Gorillas are the largest existing species of primates.

Their DNA is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99 per cent depending on what is counted, and they are our next closest living relatives after the bonobo and chimpanzee.

The original: Numerous versions of the French sculptor's statue exist worldwide, but one of its most famous resting places is seen here in gardens of the Muse Rodin, Paris