"Roderick Hudson" is the coming-of-age story of its title character, a young sculptor who falls under the patronage of Rowland Mallet. Rowland, who is about to depart for Europe, offers to pay for Roderick to come along so that he may study in Italy and improve his art. Originally published serially in "The Atlantic Monthly" during 1875, "Roderick Hudson" is Henry James" story of the development of an artist and the development of a man.