Many famous artists, writers,composers left their mark in eternity. Their names are known all over the world. But there are genius creators, the fate of which was tragic, and today few people remember them. This is the story of the life of Camille Claudel - a talented sculptor and muse of the legendary Rodin.
Camilla was born in sunny France on December 81864, in a respectable bourgeois family. The girl's father made good money, doing trade operations and real estate transactions. Mother came from a farming family with strong Catholic traditions and represented a classic example of the wife, mother and mistress of the time. How could such an unusual child have been born in such an ordinary patriarchal family? Apparently, Providence does not really think about it. And the girl really turned out strange. Camille did not like to play dolls and do household chores like mom. Her passion was long walks in the neighborhood, during which she could dream for hours and enjoy the pristine beauty of nature.
The most favorite pastime of young Camilla Claudel wasmodeling. She constantly brought home clay from the river bank and molded first the figures of family members, then more complex images. Claudel's mother was very annoyed with her daughter's occupation, because she considered all this to be a pampering, and she always had to wash clothes soiled. The girl's father was quite a harsh man, but he noticed and supported the talent of his daughter when the time came. Together with the talent Kamilla got a very bright appearance and daring, freedom-loving, strong character. Therefore, to become a respectable bourgeois wife and mother, live peacefully in the provinces, go to church and be friends with neighbors, this girl was not destined. A stormy, intense, strange and terrible fate awaited her.
One brilliant child in an ordinary family -this is found in history often. But two geniuses at once ... In Claudel's family it happened that way. Camilla's brother Paul was born - a famous poet, writer, playwright, religious figure and diplomat. The glory of Paul, in the end, will overshadow the talent of his older sister, and he will practically renounce it. But then, as a child, Camille was everything to him: a deity, a mentor, a friend and an idol. The younger brother posed with pleasure for the sculptures of his sister, shared her views on life, supported all undertakings and submitted to her steep disposition. They were very friendly. Camilla loved her brother and had a great influence on the development of his creative nature. Subsequently, already being a recognized genius, Paul did not help his sister in a tragic life situation, he preferred to step back and practically forget about her. She was everything to him as a child, he stayed with her until the end of his life.
Claudel's family often moved from town to townin connection with the traveling nature of the activities of the head of the family. In 1881 they moved to Paris. Camilla was seventeen years old and she, full of hope, went to study art at the Colarossi Academy. Official training in creative professions in the nineteenth century for women was not available. So Camilla and a few other girls were volunteering in Alfred Boucher's workshop.
I must say that Bush already saw the work of the youngCamille, once visiting her father. Sculptor highly praised the work of Claudel and advised to develop skills in Paris. And it happened. During their studies, many noted Kamilla's amazing gift, the unusualness and special magic of her works. By the way, one of the famous and respected sculptors, after seeing the work of Claudel, made a verdict that the girl took lessons from Rodin himself. Although it was not so. But it came true in the very near future. Somehow the legendary Auguste Rodin went into the workshop to the students of Boucher to conduct a lesson. Not to notice the bright girl was impossible, and soon she began to work as an apprentice to the great master. This meeting abruptly changed the biography of Camille Claudel.
Claudel for Auguste Rodin became an assistant,model and lover. He found in her incredible inspiration and perfect beauty. Of course, Rodin had a huge influence on the work of the young artist. Moreover, Rodin and Camille Claudel somehow seemed to perceive this surrounding reality and the inner world of man. They were equal in talent people: a teacher and a student. But such seemingly fruitful cooperation turned into a tragedy for Camilla. Her work was constantly compared with Roden's, drawing a direct parallel. There were constant remarks about imitation and borrowing.
Even recognizing the artistic perfection of worksCamilla Claudel, critics always mentioned her name next to Rodin. For example, her "Oblivion" was considered a repetition of Rodin's "Kiss". The master himself tried to explain to the general public that Claudel was an independent creative unit endowed with a natural gift. But it sounded like something sluggish and unconvincing. The opposition of geniuses sooner or later should lead to a rupture.
Creative torments complemented love tortures.Like all brilliant natures, Camilla did not know the middle either in creativity or in love. She needed everything or nothing. The love for Rodin was passionate and painful. She found in him a vital and creative force, lived this love. He also loved her madly. But in his life for a long time and firmly attended by another woman.
With Rosa Bere Rodin connected very much.She was next to him in his hard times, sharing with the sculptor his ups and downs. To young lover Auguste explained that he can not leave Rosa, because she is sick and dependent on him, and he owes her a lot. But the passionate and proud Camille did not like these explanations. Once she still put him before the choice: either I, or she. He chose. She had to leave. But Camille Claudel was sure that this is a temporary defeat, that her youth, beauty and talent will win, Auguste will necessarily come for her, simply can not live without her. Did not come. Smog. And she did not return.
And then a fierce hatred came.Camille Vinyl Rodin in all his big and small problems. True, she worked very hard and created a large number of talented works. Among them, the famous "Waltz", piercing "Maturity", a touching "Praying." Camilla Claudel was actively exhibited in famous halls and salons. But, apparently passion, resentment, pride and, at the same time, love, burned it from within. They say she spent the night wandering around Roden's windows and shouting curses and curses. The outbreak of hatred was growing. Once she broke all the sculptures in her workshop. Most likely, these were manifestations of the psychopathic type of personality that is characteristic of creative, subtly-sensitive people.
But, in the end, Camilla was puta terrible diagnosis: schizophrenia. She began to experience financial difficulties, she sometimes had nothing to pay for the apartment. Although the doctors claimed that there was no need for isolation from society, the family considered the illness of Camilla Claudel dangerous and decided to send the woman to a closed psychiatric clinic. She had to obey. This was the beginning of the end.
In 1913, the sculptor Camilla Claudel died forart. The next thirty years of her life she spent in a closed psychiatric hospital in Ville-Evreur. On several occasions, the doctors asked relatives to take her home, not seeing the need to keep the woman in isolation. But Camilla's mother always refused. Not many people visited her, she only received rare letters from her brother Paul. The clinic, where Camilla Claudel spent three decades, was known for its harsh conditions of detention and excessively harsh living conditions.
It is said that Claudel was neverreally crazy. What did she think about what the woman felt, being among the mentally ill people, seeing their sufferings and suffering, no one would ever know. It is only known that Camille behaved in a withdrawn, detached and apathetic manner. And never again touched my favorite clay. Talented and all forgotten, she died in 1943.
The glory that thisan extraordinary woman, bypassed her side during her lifetime. But Camilla Claudel's posthumous work has found its place in history. Not only as the muse of the famous Rodin, but also as a unique sculptor. Her works are in private collections and world museums. Her ballet was staged in 1999 and the self-titled feature film with Isabelle Adjani in the title role was shot. Too short and very bright creative destiny, long oblivion during life: such was the price for genius. Once a critic, Octave Mirabeau said of Camille: "Riot against nature: a woman is a genius!"
