A new documentary on Arte television channel examines the life of French sculptor Camille Claudel, moving beyond the romanticized narratives that have dominated books and films about her tragic destiny. The program, titled "Camille Claudel, sculpter pour exister" (Camille Claudel: Sculpting to Exist), coincides with an exhibition at the Nogent-sur-Seine museum dedicated to female sculptors in Paris during Claudel's era.
The documentary, directed by Sandra Paugam, aims to deconstruct the myths surrounding Claudel's life and return to the facts. Rather than focusing solely on her passionate relationship with Auguste Rodin and the paranoia that eventually led to her commitment to an asylum, the film places her artistic journey within the broader context of late 19th-century France, when numerous obstacles blocked women's artistic careers.
Using archival photographs and documents, Paugam traces Claudel's early beginnings when she was encouraged by Alfred Boucher, who taught at the Colarossi Academy, one of the few co-educational art schools in the capital. There, Claudel formed friendships with other female sculptors including Madeleine Jouvray, English artists Jessie Lipscomb and Amy Singer, and Finnish sculptor Sigrid af Forselles. These women shared studio space to reduce costs, demonstrating the financial challenges they all faced.
The documentary reveals how Alfred Boucher introduced these women to Auguste Rodin, who recruited them to help with his major commissions, including "The Gates of Hell" and "The Burghers of Calais." Supported by commentary from art historians, the narrative follows Claudel's rapid rise to prominence, particularly when she won an honorable mention at the 1888 Salon for her sculpture "Sakuntala."
Rodin's support proved decisive in Claudel's early success, as he mobilized his critic friends to promote the work of the woman he both admired and who had become his mistress. This privileged position allowed Claudel to eventually demand that Rodin no longer accept other female students, giving her exclusive access to his mentorship.
However, after their relationship ended, Claudel found herself increasingly isolated and returned to the precarious situation faced by her female contemporaries in what the documentary describes as a slow descent into hell, subtly accompanied by music composed by Siegfried Canto. The film illustrates how material hardship affected other female sculptors of the time, with Madeleine Jouvray regularly writing to Rodin requesting permission to carve his marbles.
The documentary also explores the fate of Claudel's contemporaries, noting that Jessie Lipscomb, after marriage, abandoned sculpture entirely. However, remaining faithful to their youthful dreams, Lipscomb visited her friend Camille in 1929 at the Montdevergues asylum, where Claudel spent her final decades.
The documentary is available on the Arte.tv platform until January 9, 2026, offering viewers an opportunity to understand Claudel's story within the broader context of women's struggles in the art world of her era.
