For a long time prior to our visiting the Rodin museum in Paris, Mary & I had been so looking forward to learning more about Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) and viewing his more famous sculptures including The Thinker, Monument to Balzac, Les Bourgeois de Calais, The Kiss, and The Gates of Hell. Learning the history and viewing each was a special experience. We were unaware, however, of Camille Claudel (1864-1943.) Learning about her and viewing her sculptures were more than icing on the cake. They were a separate and special experience in themselves! Such are the unexpected joys of fresh travel and new learning!

We learned that Rodin had taken on Claudel as a student in 1884 when she was 20 and Rodin was 44. Claudel, having studied with Alfred Boucher in Paris, was already showing promise as a sculptress and began assisting Rodin on his sculptures, eventually becoming both promising associate and lover. Rodin consistently declined Claudel’s desire to marry him, Rodin reluctant to end his long-term relationship with Rose Beuret who was mother of his son and later his wife. This resulted in the eventual dissolution of Rodin’s and Claudel’s relationship in 1898 when Claudel opened her own studio.

Of particular interest to Mary & me was Claudel’s work entitled “The Mature Age.” Having started on a work she entitled “groupe de trois” (“group of three”) in 1893, this work evolved into the piece shown in the accompanying photograph. For those of you with interest in this art, the story of this evolution and eventual sculptures is fascinating. A summary ignores the wonderful complexity of the story, however, for brevity, here is a summary of the work: three naked figures, the first an older woman embracing the second, the second a similarly older man, the third a young woman kneeling, having just released the hand of the man as he and the older woman move away. Some interpret the sculpture as an allegory of ageing. Others interpret this as Claudel’s anguish at Rodin’s abandonment. Knowing this background, standing in front of this piece is an extraordinary experience!

Having spent the full day at the museum in non-rushed learning/viewing/appreciation, we departed in the late October afternoon’s slanting sun rays to inhale the fragrance of Paris in the Fall. Thank you for reading through this explanation and dreaming our poem with us. Love to all our readers.