camille claudel - biography (5)

1894

Camille breaks her love affair with Rodin and tries to get independent in her artistic career.
During a stay at Guernesey with Mme Ménard Dorian, she shows a study of the painter Georges Hugo.

S.N.B.A.: 'Le Dieu envolé', a part of the large composition 'L’Age mur', and 'La 
Petite Châtelaine' in bronze.

In the Salon de la Libre Esthétique she exhibits 'La Valse', 'Contemplation', another piece of the series about the daughter of the owners of Château Islette, 'Psaume' and 'Premier Pas'.
Paul Claudel publishes 'L'Échange'.

1895

16 January, Camille receives the commission for 'Clotho' in marble for the festival commemorating the painter Puvis de Chavannes; as a woman, she is not allowed to visit the banquet, though.
From February to May Paul Claudel lives in Paris and in Villeneuve.
S.N.B.A. : 'Jeanne enfant', marble, 'Bust of Léon Lhermitte', bronze, 'Étude d'après nature', which is another title for the group 'Les Causeuses' in plaster, and 'La Confidence', plaster. Octave Mirbeau comments her works: 
"...quelque chose d’unique, une révolte de la nature: une femme de génie."  
And he demands the Minister of Cultural Affairs to support Camille’s career.
In June, an inspector of the state visits her atelier and commissions 'L'Age mûr'.
Camille donates her work 'Sacountala' to the Museum of Châteauroux and provokes a discussion about the quality of this sculpture in the journals of the province. For a long time, the figure is kept in a storeroom and heavily damaged during this period.
In June Paul leaves for Shanghaï. 

1896

Camille meets Mathias Morhardt, editor of the journal "Le Temps". Together with Mirbeau and Rodin, he wants to support her artistic fame and tries to mediate between the artist and collectors. But most of these arrangements fail because of Camille herself. She also cancels a meeting with the president of the French Republic - Rodin’s initiative - pretending to have no time and no suitable dress for this occasion. Although these efforts are meant to establish Camille's name as an independant artist, she continues to be seen as a protégée of Rodin. Finally, she demands Morhardt to inform Rodin that she does not want to meet him anymore to stop these rumours. 
S.N.B.A. : She shows 'La Petite Châtelaine' in marble, because the onyx version is not finished yet.
The plaster 'Les Causeuses' is exhibited at the Museum Rath in Genève.
Exhibition at the Salon de l'Art Nouveau with one version of 'La Valse' in 
porcelain and the 'Bust of Rodin'.
Paul Claudel, now vice-consul in Foutchéou, writes 'Le Repos du septième jour'.

1897

'L'Hamadryade', a combination of the two materials marble and bronze, is exposed at the gallery of the art dealer Samuel Bing. 
S.N.B.A.: 'Clotho', marble; 'La Vague'; 'Femme à sa toilette', plaster.
Rodin asks her for a comment to his contested monument of Balzac and she confirms that she appreciates it. Later, she regrets her comment, because it is included in the article Morhardt writes about her in March 1898 and her name becomes involved in the controversial discussion about Rodin’s work.
Paul Claudel publishes 'Connaissance de l'Est'.