Camille Claudel Sculpture $3.8M Sale
Greetings Warriors!
Imagine stumbling upon a lost masterpiece in an abandoned Paris apartment—sounds like something out of a movie, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened when a rare bronze sculpture by Camille Claudel was rediscovered after being lost for over a century. And guess what? It just sold for €3.7 million ($3.8M) at auction—more than double its pre-sale estimate!
The piece, "L’Âge Mûr" (The Age of Maturity), is deeply personal and hauntingly beautiful. It portrays a man being led forward by an older woman while a younger woman kneels behind him, reaching out as if begging him to stay. Many believe this sculpture isn’t just about the passage of time—it’s a reflection of Claudel’s own heartbreak over her failed relationship with Auguste Rodin, her mentor and former lover. Some say the older woman represents Rose Beuret, Rodin’s housekeeper and later wife, who ultimately took him away from Claudel.
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So, how did this masterpiece end up forgotten in an apartment? That part remains a mystery. Auctioneer Matthieu Semont came across it while inventorying the property’s assets, but its journey to obscurity is still unknown. One thing’s for sure—Claudel’s legacy has taken its sweet time to get the recognition it deserves. It wasn’t until the 1988 biopic starring Isabelle Adjani that her name resurfaced, and now her works regularly fetch millions.
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Only three other bronze versions of L’Âge Mûr exist—one at the Musée Camille Claudel, and two at Musée d’Orsay and Musée Rodin. That makes this newly discovered piece an incredibly rare find.
With this sale, it officially becomes the second-most expensive Claudel sculpture ever sold, right behind La Valse (The Waltz), a bronze of a dancing couple that fetched £5.1M at Sotheby’s London in 2013. As for the new owner of L’Âge Mûr, they remain anonymous—for now. The auction house says we’ll find out soon.
So, what do you think? Should forgotten art like this be returned to museums, or does it belong to private collectors? And how crazy is it that one of Claudel’s most personal and emotional works was sitting unnoticed for decades? Drop your thoughts below! 🎨🔥
