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Camille Claudel retrospective at the Musée Rodin

A new retrospective of the artist that – according to some – surpassed her master…
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La Vague, ©Musée Rodin (Photo Ch. Baraja), ©ADAGP, Paris


As Rodin himself said “I showed her where she would find gold, but the gold she finds is her very own.” Nonetheless, Camille Claudel is apparently still floundering in the (albeit large) shadow of Rodin. This new retrospective aims to help her work be appreciated independently of his by placing it in the context of the artistic movement of the late 19th Century, asking questions such as:

– Did Camille Claudel succeed in creating a decidedly modern sculpture, on the fringe of the work of Rodin?
– How did she develop as a woman, student and sculptress in the studio?, and
– What kind of strategy could a sculptress pursue at the end of the 19th century?

The exhibition at Paris’ Musée Rodin includes over 80 sculptures in marble, terracotta, plaster, onyx and bronze, as well as about ten engravings and drawings from public and private collections. Certain documents, including correspondence between Rodin and Camille Claudel as well as photographs of that period, will also be on display. A number of the sculptures are being shown for the first time, such as The Wounded Niobid, deposited by the French State at the Bejaia Museum in Algeria in 1935, and small terracotta studies from museum collections recently reattributed to Camille Claudel.

Hopefully, the retrospective will help convince people of Camille Claudel’s enormous talent, even compared to her master and lover…
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Here’s all the essential information for the Camille Claudel retrospective at the Musée Rodin

When: 15th April – 20th July 2008
Where: Musée Rodin, 79 rue de Varenne, Paris 7th arrondissement, métro Varenne (line 13)
Opening hours: Every day except Monday from 9.30am to 5.45pm. Late night opening on Wednesdays until 9pm
Price of admission: adults 7 euros, concessions 5 euros. There’s also a combined ticket for the permanent exhibition and access to the (lovely) gardens at 10 euros for adults and 7 euros for concessions
Official site: here


Bigger map here