Auguste Rodin completed his life-size marble sculpture The Kiss, it caused such a stir it was removed from public view – but now you can see it for free in Kent.

The sculpture dates back to the start of the last century, and the now famous embracing couple come from a true 13th century story of forbidden love, which was immortalised in Dante’s Inferno.

The Kiss will be at the Turner Contemporary, Margate, from Tuesday, October 4.

The couple are the adulterous lovers Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini, who were slain by Francesca’s outraged husband. The sculpture has been called 'one of the most iconic images of sexual love’.

The 6ft tall statue, now worth £10m, was bought by the Tate in 1933 from collector Edward Warren who had commissioned it in 1900 for £1,000 and stored it in a stable block at his home in Lewes, East Sussex.

Rodin had never been fond of The Kiss, calling it a “large sculpted knick-knack following the usual formula”.

At the time, the perceived eroticism of Rodin’s sculpture was controversial leading to instances where the work was removed from public view.

The arrival of the sculpture, on loan from the Tate collection, coincides with the Turner Contemporary’s second major exhibition, Nothing in the World But Youth, which runs until January. This exhibition explores how youth has been reflected in art, culture and the media and will feature paintings, photographs, items of clothing and early JMW Turner works, many depicting east Kent.

It features work by the likes of David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Peter Blake.

Auguste Rodin’s The Kiss will be at the Sunley Gallery in the Turner Contemporary, Margate, until Sunday, September 2, 2012. Admission is free. Open 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Sunday.