Camille Claudel’s life and work can be divided into two distinct halves. In fact, it could be said that she only had half a life.

Only in the latter half of the twentieth century has her work been celebrated; hitherto she was rarely mentioned in general books on art history or dictionaries of art, and then only as model, muse and lover of Auguste Rodin.

If Rodin’s mighty shadow fell across Camille, her spirit, mastery with clay and marble, and her beauty, ignited in Rodin a fire for the young woman as well as enormous respect for her ability as a sculptor.

Rodin said of Camille, “I showed her where to find gold, and the gold she found was all her own”.