Camille Claudel
French sculptor known for figurative works in bronze and marble
Camille Rosalie Claudel (8 December 1864 – 19 October 1943) was a French sculptor who worked mainly in bronze and marble, creating figurative pieces. Her death went largely unnoticed, but her work gained fresh acclaim later in the 20th century for its originality and quality. Since then, her life has inspired multiple biographies and films. Among her best-known sculptures are *The Waltz* and *The Mature Age*. A museum dedicated to her, the Camille Claudel Museum, opened in 2017 in Nogent-sur-Seine, the town where she spent her teenage years. She was a longtime collaborator of Auguste Rodin, and the Musée Rodin in Paris devotes a room to her pieces. Her sculptures also appear in major institutions such as the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Claudel was born in Fère-en-Tardenois, Aisne, in northern France, the first child of a farming and gentry family. Her father, Louis-Prosper Claudel, worked in mortgages and bank transactions; her mother, Louise-Athanaïse Cécile Cerveaux, came from a Champagne family of Catholic farmers and priests. The family moved to Villeneuve-sur-Fère when Camille was an infant. Her younger brother, Paul Claudel, was born there in 1868. They later relocated to Bar-le-Duc (1870), Nogent-sur-Seine (1876), and Wassy-sur-Blaise (1879), though summers were still spent in Villeneuve-sur-Fère, whose stark landscape left a deep impression on the children. From ages five to twelve, Claudel was educated by the Sisters of Christian Doctrine. At twelve, while living in Nogent-sur-Seine, she began working with local clay, regularly sculpting the human form. As she grew older, she enriched her artistic education through literature and old engravings. Her mother disapproved of what she saw as an unladylike ambition to become an artist, but her father was more supportive. He took examples of her work to their artist neighbor, Alfred Boucher, who later became a successful sculptor in Paris. Boucher confirmed her talent and encouraged the family to support her study of sculpture. Claudel received the same education as her brother, eventually reaching the limits of local facilities. In 1881, her mother took Camille, her brother, and younger sister to Paris, settling in Montparnasse for better educational opportunities. Her father stayed behind in the north to support them. As a child, Claudel was fascinated by stone and soil. In Paris, she studied at the Académie Colarossi, one of the few places open to female students, and also with sculptor Alfred Boucher, who gave free classes to her and others. The Académie was progressive for its time, allowing women to work from nude male models, while the École des Beaux-Arts still barred them. In 1882, Claudel rented a studio on rue Notre-Dame des Champs with three British sculptors: Jessie Lipscomb, Emily Fawcett, and Amy Singer, whose father’s foundry in Frome, Somerset, produced large bronze statues. Boucher visited often, giving free lessons several times a week. Claudel visited Frome and the families of her fellow sculptors. These English friends had studied at the South Kensington Schools (later the Royal College of Art) before moving to Paris, where they all met at the Académie Colarossi. Claudel prolonged her stay with the Singer family in Frome. Boucher became her mentor, also inspiring later sculptors like Laure Coutan. He depicted Claudel in *Camille Claudel lisant*; she later sculpted a bust of him. After teaching Claudel and the others for over three years, Boucher moved to Florence after winning the Grand Prix du Salon. Before leaving, he asked Auguste Rodin to take over instruction of his pupils. Rodin and Claudel met, beginning an artistic association and a tumultuous, passionate relationship. Claudel started working in Rodin’s workshop in 1883 and became a source of inspiration for him. Under his guidance, she refined her work in plaster, bronze, marble, and onyx. She acted as his model, confidante, and lover, but never lived with him, as Rodin was reluctant to end his 20-year relationship with common-law wife Rose Beuret. Knowledge of the affair agitated her family, especially her mother, who already resented Claudel for not being a boy and disapproved of her art. Her mother forced Claudel to leave the family home.
- born
- 8 December 1864
- died
- 19 October 1943
- field
- Sculpture
- nationality
- French
- known_for
- Figurative works in bronze and marble, including The Waltz and The Mature Age
Lore & Background
Camille Claudel was born in Fère-en-Tardenois, Aisne, in northern France, the first child of a family of farmers and gentry. Her father, Louis-Prosper Claudel, dealt in mortgages and bank transactions. Her mother, the former Louise-Athanaïse Cécile Cerveaux, came from a Champagne family of Catholic farmers and priests. The family moved to Villeneuve-sur-Fère while Camille was still a baby. Her younger brother Paul Claudel was born there in 1868. Subsequently, they moved to Bar-le-Duc (1870), Nogent-sur-Seine (1876), and Wassy-sur-Blaise (1879), although they continued to spend summers in Villeneuve-sur-Fère. The stark landscape of that region made a deep impression on the children. From the ages of five to 12 Claudel was educated by the Sisters of Christian Doctrine. While living in Nogent-sur-Seine at age 12, Claudel began working with the local clay, regularly sculpting the human form. As Camille grew older, she enriched her artistic education with literature and the study of old engravings. Her mother Louise did not approve of Claudel's 'unladylike desire to become an artist.' But her father was more supportive and took examples of her artwork to their artist neighbor Alfred Boucher, to assess her abilities. Boucher later moved to Paris and had a successful career as a sculptor. Boucher confirmed that Claudel was a capable, talented artist and encouraged her family to support her study of sculpture. Camille’s family provided her with the same education as her brother, leading her to reach the limitation in facilities in the area. In 1881 Louise took Claudel, her brother, and younger sister to Paris, where they lived in the Montparnasse area. The children would have more education there. Her father remained behind in the north, working to support them.
Reader's Guide
Claudel was fascinated with stone and soil as a child. As a young woman in Paris she studied at the Académie Colarossi, one of the few places open to female students. She also studied with sculptor Alfred Boucher, who gave free classes to her and some other students. The Académie Colarossi was more progressive than other arts institutions in that it not only allowed female students at the school but also permitted them to work from nude male models. At the time, the École des Beaux-Arts barred women from enrolling to study. In 1882, Claudel rented a studio workshop on rue Notre-Dame des Champs in Paris that she shared with three British sculptors: Jessie Lipscomb, Emily Fawcett, and Amy Singer. The latter was the daughter of John Webb Singer, whose foundry in Frome, Somerset, made large-scale bronze statues. Boucher often came by the studio, giving free lessons to the four sculptors multiple times a week. Several prominent works produced in Frome are in London, including the Boadicea group on the Embankment; statue of Oliver Cromwell, which graces the lawn in front of the Houses of Parliament; and F.W. Pomeroy's figure of Lady Justice atop the Old Bailey. The memorial statue of General Gordon on his camel at Brompton Barracks was also cast in Frome. This foundry also cast the eight lions that form part of the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town, South Africa. Claudel visited Frome and the families of her fellow sculptors. All of these English friends had studied at the South Kensington Schools – which would become the Royal College of Art – before moving to Paris to be at the Academie Colarossi, where they all met. Claudel prolonged her stay with Singer's family in Frome. Alfred Boucher became Claudel's mentor, and also provided inspiration and encouragement to the next generation of sculptors, such as Laure Coutan. Claudel was depicted by Boucher in Camille Claudel lisant. Later, she sculpted a bust of her mentor. After teaching Claudel and the other sculptors for more than three years, Boucher moved to Florence following an award for the Grand Prix du Salon. Before he left, he asked Auguste Rodin to take over the instruction of his pupils. Rodin and Claudel met, and their artistic association and a tumultuous and passionate relationship soon began. Claudel started working in Rodin's workshop in 1883 and became a source of inspiration for him. Under Rodin’s guidan
Did You Know?
- Camille Claudel was born in Fère-en-Tardenois, Aisne, in northern France.
- Her younger brother Paul Claudel was born in 1868.
- She studied at the Académie Colarossi, one of the few places open to female students.
- Claudel acted as model, confidante, and lover to Auguste Rodin.
- Rodin's common-law wife was Rose Beuret.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Camille Claudel (8 December 1864 – 19 October 1943) was a French sculptor and graphic artist." — Camille Claudel "Il y a toujours quelque chose d’absent qui me tourmente." — Camille Claudel "There is always something missing that torments me." — Camille Claudel
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