Born in Northern France, Camille Claudel (1864 – 1943) was reported experimenting with clay aged 12. After moving to Paris, capital of the arts, she made the acquaintance of Auguste Rodin in the early 1880s.
History has retained Claudel’s violent passion for Rodin, and her subsequent detention in an asylum after she tried to support herself. Obscured by her master in popular imagination, she nonetheless participated in masterpieces such as The Gates of Hell and The Kiss. Between mutual emulation and rivalry, the couple’s complex relationship reflects the blurring of boundaries between biography and creation.
The Musée Rodin’s gallery dedicated to Camille Claudel will enable us to examine the sculptor’s unique techniques and fight for independence. Her artistic production will be compared to her master’s to identify how she influenced him as well.