CAMILLE CLAUDEL

1864-1943

French sculptor.

On the street Varennes, in front of the Rodin Museum, was a long queue. However, that day in 1984 so many people gathered not even the great and famous artist, and his "Apprentice" - a woman, whose name only recently appeared overgrown grass of oblivion . . . And still some justice in this world exists. A woman who paid for his gift of nezhensky own life, yet found acceptance, albeit not in the hearts of his contemporaries, so at least - of descendants.

However, you will agree, and later admiration very comforting for a living, suffering man, a man who has lost hope. And the fate of Camille Claudel is truly terrible, causing terror indifference and cruelty of her relatives. Do not have Camilla God's gift, her story and then it would make sense to tell the world - for the edification of callousness, as a protest against meanness - but this woman has also been extremely talented, which makes it a story about a truly tragic.

God seldom gives to parents of gifted children, but imagine that in one of the most ordinary families, people with no special ambitions and claims for life, is born as much as two brilliant offspring.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

What can we say about the randomness of God's grace? . . She, apparently, is incomprehensible to humans.

Paul Claudel, the famous French classicist, poet, playwright, novelist - a favorite of native penates - a respected academic, ambassador. But few know that as a child he gazed adoringly at his older sister, the former his example in everything. Prior to her he was trying to grow both externally and internally, she first confided his still unsteady, youthful dreams of fame and success. She is Camilla, the first starting the fight with conservative parents - her father, Lorraine real estate agent and mother - housewife. They and the children wanted a quiet provincial life in the small town of Villeneuve. A daughter and son Claudel, as if by malice, as if they were foundlings, and not the offspring of relatives, seemed alien to the narrow-minded little world of parents. Paul soared in invented castles, and Camilla so cleverly molded out of clay, which confused me father such an unusual occupation and furious mother who tortured dochkinu wash clothes.

Check out Camille in Paris in 1882, does not allow its problems.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

For girls the doors of the School of Fine Arts were closed, but our heroine was unlonely, and several persons who dared disregard the prohibitions of society engaged in sculpture, founded the private courses, the head of which was celebrated at the time, Alfred Boucher. Struck by the works of Camille, the teacher showed them to the Director of the School of Fine Arts Paul Dubois. "Your Trust took lessons from Mr. Rodin" - was diagnosed by a reputable artist. In fact it was wrong, but essentially true Dubois saw in the young artist admiration recognized sculptor and brightest talent, able to put it on a par with the great masters. But there was still something in this exclamation from the mystical, the random prediction. They soon meet - Camille and Rodin, will meet to plunge each other into the abyss of misery and frustration.

Roden, replacing once Bush the "maiden" courses, as a connoisseur of the weaker sex and artist by vocation, he could not pay attention to the beautiful girl. "Beautiful on the forehead with wondrous eyes of deep-blue color, which is often found in novels and so rarely in life, a big, sensitive, but also very proud mouth, a thick mop of brown hair falling to the waist.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

Kind of impressive boldness, directness , excellence and fun, "- this description belongs to her brother, Paul.

Yes, she was remarkably attractive, but not only that distinguishes it from the rest kursistok. On it lay a special seal, which attracts, attracts and frightens, printing talent. Rhoden invited Camilla to her work as an apprentice. Some time passed, and Camilla has become not only the nearest assistant of the famous sculptor, but his Artist's Model, his muse.

This was the beginning of the end. Passionate, confident, accustomed always to win, be the first and only one, she could not organically exist side by side with Rodin, a recognized master.

In 1888, Camilla completes the "Oblivion" - his first great work. Critics of the rush to see it "a rehash" of the famous Rodin "The Kiss. " Four years later, when a "Waltz" Claudel, about this sculpture write it again in Rodin dynamic and expressive. About "Clotho" from all sides are heard spiteful grin: "Borrow, borrow, borrow . . . "

Maybe for someone creative and personal intimacy with the great masters and would have been a source of pride and peace, but poor Camilla she became existent torture, abused her painful feelings.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

In a fit of rage Claudel is not given much thought about their own statements: "His works I draw only from itself, suffering from an excess rather than lack of ideas. Mr. Rhoden, blamed others for imitation, it would be better not released its" Spirit of War "is entirely copied from Ruud. " And she lived with Rodin, she loves him passionately, madly, with such force that belongs only to such extraordinary natures. But she could never forgive him for what she is considered a shadow of Rodin, a pathetic imitator that it can not shine their own faces.

To conflict partition of creative ideas to add and unpleasant worldly history, which is formally led to the rupture. Despite the fact that Camilla shares blood with Rodin, the sculptor continues to liaise with the former lover, faithful companion of the past difficult years - Rose Bere. In vain he tries to explain to Camilla, that abandoned mistress, only his friend, that she does not rival the beautiful young woman that she was ill and he has no right to leave her. Claudel does not want to receive nothing in justification. She is too aware of their own importance, so that even a tiny little bit of love and attention to give some sort of special.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

Camilla puts conditions Roden: or - or . . . The famous sculptor confused as a boy: he complained to friends, suffering from "incomprehensible" care of Camilla. But return he did not try. What a talented man needs a number of restless, gifted woman? And Camilla is probably hoping for another reaction lover . . . Yes, that hoped - I was sure!

Having finally painful freedom, it comes down to work. It's time separation bore strong and evocative images. From beneath her hands on that fateful 1895 came the first version of the "mature" - a young woman kneeling in prayer is trying to keep the hand loved ones who stubbornly pulls to his old woman's death. Their hands had not yet parted, the hero had not yet made a final decision. In the second version, created three years later, old age imperiously takes over a subdued, resigned man. Rodin did not come for his Camilla, hope everything is melting, and with their disappearance is accumulated rancor against former lover. Gradually transformed into a Rodin evil genius Claudel. Fails exhibition - the machinations of Auguste, no money to buy stuff - is guilty of Auguste, bad press - Auguste deceit.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

In justification of Camilla, it must be said that Rodin actually behaved too for a gentleman: Camilla and really would expect more compassion and understanding. Roden openly repaired prevent the conclusion of the contract for the purchase of the state of "mature age", he would not help Claudel, when she humbly begged the bailiff not to throw her belongings from a rented apartment, for which she had nothing to pay. Renowned sculptor easily forget the old love, and it is not tormented conscience, not care a sense of duty.

Meanwhile, maladjusted to life, is not able to easily get along with people, Camilla is desperately looking for yield. It starts with severe nervous depression: a woman walks at night under the windows of the mansion where Rodin lived with the same Rose Bere, and shouting threats, disturbing the neighbors; day window of the apartment Claudel tightly shuttered - Camilla is afraid of daylight. She still struggles - sculpts amazing things. Genre composition "During the conversation: gossip in the bath happily and busily discussing someone's personal problems . . .

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

In 1908 she created "Niobidu" - the girl-child with the same features that have a happy character "Oblivion", in the same position, but now lonely, mortally wounded in the chest the poisonous arrow. But the darkness of mental illness deepens over her mind.

Camilla did not help and the relatives. Adored her brother, Paul grew up, did his own career, put it on their own success, and he did not need a line in the biography of the mad sister vybivsheysya out of a rut. In the end, she taught young Paul to succeed. March 10, 1913 to the house on the waterfront of the Bourbons carriage drove an ambulance, and hefty attendants opened the door dweller ground floor apartment. Camille Claudel with permission and with the help of relatives was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Paris suburb of Ville-Evrard. From there, she was soon transferred to another hospital - in Mondeverg, godforsaken corner of southern France, where she was to spend 30 years. If she was so ill, to imprison her - for life! - In one of the worst of its kind institutions that had a solid reputation, "the pen to death"? Of course not.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

Just on friendly family Claudel chose "bury" Camilla in a madhouse.

You can add that Camilla herself to the end continued to blame all their sufferings Rodin. She never ceased to cry for help from the hellish orphanage: "I can not longer endure the cries of all these creatures! God, how I want to be back in his native Villeneuve, do not order as I worked to end his life by a multi-valued number in the madhouse! I deserve better . . . "

"The other day an unfortunate lyceum teacher, too, came here, was found dead in bed - dead from the cold. It is impossible to imagine, how cold in Mondeverge. And it lasts for seven months a year . . . "

"If I could again return to a normal life, my happiness would have been too large to even dare to something you disobey. I suffered so, that would not be solved, and an extra step to make. You write that I was someone I must look after. But I have never had a nanny . . . "

The groans of this poor creature is not getting through to a ripe field, he prefers not to pay attention to them. Only after the death of the academician, the ambassador, the writer Paul Claudel, 12 years after the death of Camille, the family decided to still get the ashes of relatives of mondevergskogo captivity.

Photo — «Camille Claudel»

Local funeral home responded: "This site is the cemetery was used for other purposes, and the grave has disappeared. "

But while Camilla did come, it overtook the posthumous fame, though small, but consolation - justice is done.

Prediction came true writer Armand Deyo: "I am extremely surprised if Mademoiselle Claudel does not take one day, suddenly, its place among the greatest sculptors of the era. "