The images and information presented below are for the instruction of students and scholarly research.
Camille Claudel
(1864-1943)
Perhaps the most famous and talented
female sculptor to ever live, Camille Claudel was both
student and mistress to the sculptor Rodin. Together the
two had a volatile and passionate private and
professional relationship, and Claudel lived a life of
drama that ended sadly like so many other artists.
Certainly, many portray Claudel as being nothing without
the assistance of Rodin, but this is a grave
misinterpretation. Claudel had a talent and passion for
sculpture far before she was ever associated with Rodin,
and in better circumstances, may have been more
successful in her lifetime.
Untitled
Born in Aisne,
France, Claudel moved to Paris with her family around
1881. As a child, Claudel was fascinated with stones and
minerals, so her future love of sculpting should have
come as no surprise. She began her studies at the
Academie Colarossi, which was one of the few art schools
open to female students at the time. In 1893 Claudel
became an assistant in Rodin’s studio.
Claudel working, c.1893
At this time, Rodin
was at the height of his popularity among the French
social elite. For a while, Claudel found great success
herself, and did not need the name of the great Rodin to
elevate her to success. She had a number of commissions
and patrons and found regular work in the beginning, but
this was not to last.
The Wave, 1897
The Implorer, 1900
Claudel was desperate
to separate herself from Rodin’s name and wanted to
create an identity all her own. Therefore, she became
rather reclusive and did not typically mingle amongst
other artists. Sadly, this may have been a cause of her
mental decline, mixed with Rodin’s eventual rejection.
The two never lived together because Rodin would not
leave the other woman in his life. An abortion was
rumored to be the cause of the end of their relationship
in 1892, though the two continued to see each other
through 1898.
Untitled
By 1905, Claudel had
begun to completely lose her sanity. She was known to
disappear for long periods of time, and destroyed a
number of her statues (an estimated 90 in total). She
even accused Rodin of plotting to kill her and of
stealing her ideas, a result of her increasing paranoia.
Claudel was eventually committed to an asylum in 1913
where she remained for thirty years until her death.
L’Age Mur
Claudel faced a number
of obstacles in her quest to become a sculptor. Not only
was she a woman, but also was shamed by her family and
society because of her relationship with Rodin. Her
critics were also harsh to Claudel after her
exhibitions, citing that her beautiful sculptures were
far too sensual and provocative.
The Waltz
Today, her works are
housed worldwide and contemporary critics now notice the
mastery of her sculpture. However, because of the
tumultuous state of her life, especially towards the
end, the possibility for owning one of her pieces is
great. No one really knows what she may have done in the
midst of her insanity, be it selling statues at any
price, or giving them away to strangers.
