Odile Ayral-Clause

El libro recurre a material inédito, incluidas cartas y fotografías que confirman la brillantez de la escultura de Camille Claudel, aclaran su relación con Rodin (quien no la explotó, pero, de hecho, apoyó su trabajo durante toda su vida), y revelan la historia real de su confinamiento en una institución mental. La fascinante vida de Claudel toca muchos aspectos de los problemas de las mujeres: la creatividad, la lucha por el reconocimiento, el conflicto con los valores sociales y las desigualdades del mundo del arte. Ilustrado con fotografías familiares personales, este es un homenaje íntimo y conmovedor a un artista cuya vida y obra, hasta ahora, han sido malinterpretados y subestimado… (plus d'informations)

Camille Claudel, A Life
Odile Aryal-Clause
Copyright 2002
Biography
Women Sculptors
Images of the Artist and her work in Black and White
Hardcover: New $ 35.00
ISBN: 0810940779
279 pages

I believe the author’s purpose in writing this book is to be a “stepping-stone toward better understanding of it’s protagonist, and the art she produced.” In addition, the author states “another objective of this book is to give a voice to women artists who lived in Paris at the turn of the nineteenth century and who, like Claudel, struggled to overcome the limitations inspired by them.”

Many years ago, I was able to see the file Camille Claudel starring Isabella Adjani and Gerard Depardieu. This film presented me with a view of a female sculptress and her relationship with Auguste Rodin. The film provided me with the opportunity to take a peek into her life and their relationship and the struggles they both endured. Shortly after watching the film, and additional research on each artist. I finally came across this book about Camille’s life. While I was standing there in the museum bookstore, debating weather to read the book, to my surprise someone approached me telling me how good this book was. I was told, “if you really want to know her in a way the movie did not portray her this book gives an accurate portrayal. “ Of course my curiosity was piqued, and I was intrigued.

After buying the hardback book, I began reading I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself absorbed by the presentation of the author and the artists point of view. The writer chose to present supporting research through journals, letters, art reviews, and interviews for example. This method gives the reader a fresh perspective of how the artists was thinking and feeling based on documents and emotions presented in the artists letters. And I immediately found these documents helped weave a tighter, solid, effective portrayal of her life.

I enjoyed the author’s style of writing, and commend them on their extensive research. This book presented a formal writing style with fluidity, organization, and clarity allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions without being influenced. Main ideas were organized chronologically, and developed fully. Odile Aryal-Clause even included Caludel’s brother Paul Claudel, in the book, and incorporated the letters she wrote to him.

As the reader you were directly affected, and swept into her life moment by moment with a first hand account of her struggles (as an artist and as a woman) and success and how those experiences were reflected within the sculptures she created.

While reading my impression of Camille Claudel was altered, in a positive way. This book filled in a few gaps, questions, and blew apart a few myths that I was under the impression were true. It also reinforced the facts and supporting information I discovered while understanding the artist and her work.

Her passion for Auguste Rodin was exposed within the book through sculptures and letters. With the black and white images featured in the book like “La Valse Bronze” c. 1905 (page 105) we see an image of a couple in a loving embrace, or an elegant lyrical dance. Camille Claudel’s technique is unencumbered with a raw sense of feeling and emotion that is exhibited within this work. This image (among others) show how she is a fine craftsman, who is detail oriented, with a unique gift, and style. Or, even the well received bust of Auguste Rodin c.1892 (page 99) she sculpts his likeness with such care, and intraicy. She skillfully, presents balance, symmetry, and a gentle rhythmic sense of development that uplifts a straightforward sense of training. And every mark on the face, and head presented with a genuine sense of love for the subject. I can’t imagine her working in any other media for either one of these images. Her sense of expression comes forth with fiery passion. In addition, texture for example would not have the same effect as successfully if she perhaps used another media. And the sense of texture for both sculptures remain pronounced and direct. Her images promote great excitement and a visual rhythm and repetition that the reader/viewer can experience.
This book gives a full length picture of the subject, her work and her life that receives a fine treatment of who she was. This book has achieved it’s goal and the author has gone through extensive study and research to create a historical portrayal.

Plus, there were a few new facts I learned while reading . I discovered she had a close friend who was an artist (a sculptress) as well, Jessie. (they reminded good friends for most of her life) and during the second half of the nineteenth century Charles Chaplin opened his atelier exclusively to women while teaching life classes.

This book takes you through the highs and lows of her career, her life, and opens the door to a rocky love affair that breaks you heart, and makes you appreciate and celebrate a talented artist that she came to be. I highly recommend this book, for art lovers and those who enjoy a good biography, this is an excellent read.… (plus d'informations)