Camille Claudel’s 155th Birthday

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Paris-based artists Icinori, celebrates French sculptor Camille Claudel on her 155th birthday. Facing many challenges as a woman in art, Claudel’s determination pushed her to continually break gender molds and create even in the face of adversity.

Born in Fère-en-Tardenois, Claudel began experimenting with clay as a child. At age 12, her father organized a visit from established sculptor Alfred Boucher, who took notice of Claudel’s burgeoning skills and advised Claudel to move to Paris to study art. Enrolling at the Académie Colarossi, Claudel worked on honing her craft before a fateful 1882 meeting with Boucher’s friend, renowned sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Claudel began training under Rodin in 1884, learning about his method of observing profiles and the importance of capturing expressions. Her sculptures, however, also had an impact on Rodin. For instance, her 1886 piece, “Jeune fille à la gerbe,” is widely considered to have inspired Rodin’s “Galatea,” completed a few years later.

Claudel and Rodin became romantically involved, resulting in two personally revealing sculptures, Persée et la Gorgone (Perseus and the Gorgon) and L'Âge mûr (The Age of Maturity). The former features a self-portrait of Claudel as the Gorgon Medusa and has often been interpreted as a contemplation of the uphill battle for recognition that she faced in her artistic career. Both pieces coincided with the end of their relationship in 1893.

Much of Claudel’s work resides in Musée Camille Claudel in Nogent-sur-Seine, which opened in 2017. Here, art lovers from around the world continue to appreciate Claudel’s oeuvre.

Happy birthday, Camille Claudel!

Guest Artist Q&A with Icinori 

Today’s Doodle was created by Paris-based artists Icinori. Below, they share their thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? 

A: Camille Claudel is a unique artist of her time, deeply involved in creating and constantly trying to open new doors. Her life was made of poetry, hard work, freedom, drama, and pure creation.

Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: We were so glad it was Camille Claudel, an artist with a pure and uncompromising gesture of creation.

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: The photographs of her workshop are amazing, it seems out of time. We can see her collaborating with other sculptors where they  discuss, sculpt, think, and laugh. She is organized and quite a mess at the same time. Some pictures show her with her tools, in the middle of her workshop, alone in that giant stone and material forest, working hard, only concentrated on her subject. These are the feelings we wanted to share. 

Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: A free, powerful, and hardworking woman that uses her hands to produce incredible sculptures, unique to her time - Camille Claudel is forever inspiring!

Early sketches of the Doodle