By Arnesia Young on January 8, 2021

How much do you know about Camille Claudel?

Throughout history, there have been many sculptors who have made a name for themselves. One is Auguste Rodin, the famous 19th-century French sculptor who created iconic pieces such as The Thinker, The Kiss, and The Gates of Hell. However, there are perhaps just as many artists who have gone unnoticed—particularly women. In fact, it is far less likely that you’ve heard of Camille Claudel, a female French sculptor who worked very closely with Rodin for a portion of her career. During their time of association, Claudel was Rodin’s student, assistant, muse, and lover. But more than that, she was an incredible sculptor in her own right—no easy feat for a woman during that period.

Still, despite the raw talent and drive that Claudel possessed, she—like many artists (especially female ones)—did not receive the success and acclaim she so desired and deserved during her lifetime. Though not entirely unknown and unsuccessful as an artist, her true importance was overshadowed by that of Rodin. Often confined by the rigid gender roles women were confined to and ultimately deserted by those she loved most, Claudel lived a tumultuous life that eventually came to a tragic and solitary end.

Though she died in almost complete insignificance, Claudel’s remarkable talent has since been rediscovered and celebrated to some degree. Read on to discover more about Camille Claudel’s fascinating life and career.

Early Childhood and Education

The oldest of three children, Claudel was born to a middle-class family in Fère-en-Tardenois—a small village in northern France—on December 8, 1864. Her father, Louis-Prosper Claudel, later moved the family to Bar-le-Duc In 1870. There, Camille received the beginnings of her education from the Sisters of the Christian Doctrine.

It wasn’t until the family moved to Nogent-sur-Seine in 1876 that Camille began to experiment with clay and start sculpting the human form. She was only 12 years old at the time, but her talent was already becoming apparent. Her father was receptive to this and sought the opinion of Alfred Boucher, a talented local sculptor. Boucher was immediately impressed by Claudel’s natural ability and took her on as a student and mentee.

While Camille’s father was extremely supportive of her development as an artist, it was a completely different story with her mother. Louise Anthanaïse Claudel didn’t want her daughter to pursue a vocation as an artist. Aligned with the societal norms of the time, Louise viewed the profession as “unladylike” and preferred that her daughter give it up and focus more on her marriage prospects.

Arrival in Paris and Further Education

In 1881, Louis-Prosper Claudel moved his wife and three children to Paris so that their son—Paul Claudel—could pursue higher education. Then age 17, Camille took this opportunity to continue her artistic training and enrolled at the Académie Colarossi—an art academy that was extremely progressive for its time, not only accepting women to study there but also allowing them to work from nude male models.

Boucher continued to mentor the budding sculptor. In 1882, Claudel decided to rent a studio, which she shared with three other young female sculptors from England that she had met at the Académie. Boucher would visit the studio once a week to offer guidance and critique their work. Camille was already developing a naturalistic style under his tutelage, which earned her some modest recognition from Paul Dubois—the director of the École des Beaux-Arts and fellow native of Claudel’s previous home, Nogent-sur-Seine—by way of an introduction by Boucher.

That same year, Boucher left Paris and moved to Florence, Italy. But before he left, he asked Rodin to take his place and continue to supervise and guide his pupils at the studio. It was there that Claudel and Rodin met, and that meeting marked a distinct shift that would completely alter the lives of both artists.

Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin

Rodin was immediately impressed by Claudel’s work—though she was but a young student. The gritty realism apparent in her early works such as Old Helen struck him, and he soon invited her to work alongside him as an apprentice in his own studio. Claudel officially joined Rodin’s studio around 1883, by which time the seasoned sculptor had already received some of his first major commissions.

Bust of Rodin (Photo: Museo Soumaya [CC BY-SA 4.0])

Claudel honed her skills in his workshop, learning from Rodin and contributing in equal parts as they worked on some of his most well-known pieces, including The Gates of Helland The Burghers of Calais. But during her time working with Rodin, Claudel also made strides to assert herself as an independent artist. She exhibited regularly in the Salon des Artistes Français between the years of 1882 and 1889, and—by way of some connections made through Rodin—Claudel even had some of her pieces bought by French Museums in the 1890s.

Nonetheless, Claudel and Rodin’s relationship was far from just a professional one. The two had mutual respect and admiration for one another and had become engaged in an impassioned love affair not long after they met. Even more than his apprentice, she became his confidant, model, and muse. Rodin created several portraits of Claudel during this period—starting with Camille Claudel with Short Hair—and also used her as a model for portions of his larger works. He, in turn, was also a model for Claudel on occasion, most notably for her acclaimed work Bust of Rodin. The two artists’ creations mutually inspired and influenced one another as they worked together seamlessly, sharing both models and studios.

Break From Rodin

Claudel and Rodin’s relationship continued for over 10 years, but things were not always so good. In fact, their romance had sparked a great deal of controversy—one reason being their sizable age gap, with Claudel not yet 20 when they first met and Rodin already into his 40s. One other reason was his relationship with Rose Beuret, who—though they were never officially married—had been his partner for years.[…]

The Waltz (Photo: Camille Claudel [Public domain])

Continue reading: Camille Claudel: Rediscovering Works of an Underappreciated Sculptor