Text of letters from Camille Claudel and Rodin
The letters, reproductions of which are exhibited in this room, come from the Rodin Museum in Paris to whom we express our gratitude for the authorization given to us to show them here. This web page includes the text which is reproduced identically. Errors in spelling, capital letters, accents and punctuation are therefore preserved.
On the right wall when entering the common room
Inv. L.1452, Rodin museum archives, Paris
For the future from today October 12, 1886, I will only consider Miss Camille Claudel as my student and I will protect her alone by all the means that I have at my disposal through my friends who will be hers, especially by my influential friends. I will no longer accept other students so that rival talents do not arise by chance, although I do not suppose that one often meets such naturally gifted artists. At the exhibition, I will do my best for placement and newspapers. I will no longer go under any circumstances to Madame… to whom I will no longer teach sculpture. After the exhibition in May we left for Italy and stayed there for at least six months, the beginning of an indissoluble bond after which Miss Camille would be my wife. I would be very happy to be able to offer a marble figurine if Miss Camille would like to accept it. 4 months from now or 5 months from now to May, I won't have any women otherwise the conditions are broken. If my order from Chile is fulfilled, we will go to Chile instead of Italy. I will not take any of the models of women I have known. A photograph will be taken at Carjat in the costume that Miss Camille wore at the Ville toilet academy and perhaps in an evening costume. Miss Camille will stay in Paris until May, Miss Camille undertakes to receive me at her workshop four times a month until May. Rodin
Inv. Ms.368, Rodin museum archives, Paris
Your favorite virtue. I don't have any: they're all boring
Your favorite qualities in man. to obey his wife
Your favorite qualities in woman. to make her husband angry
Your favorite occupation. To do nothing
Your chief characteristic. Caprice and inconstancy
Your idea of happiness. to marry General Boulanger
Your idea of misery. to be a mother of many children
Your favorite color and flower. The color that changes the most and the flower that doesn't change
If not yourself, who would you be? A cab horse in Paris
Where would you like to live? In the heart of Mr. Wilson
Your favorite prose authors. Monsieur Pellerin, author of the famous images
Your favorite poets. The one who doesn't write verses
Your favorite painters and composers. Myself
Your favorite heroes in real life. Pranzini or Tropmann (your choice)
Your favorite heroines in real life. Louise Michel
Your favorite heroes in fiction. Richard III
Your favorite heroines in fiction. Lady Macbeth
Your favorite food and drink. From the kitchen of Merlatti (love and fresh water)
Your favorite names. Abdonides, Joséphyr, Alphée, Boulang
Your fart aversion. The maids, the coachmen and the models
What characters in history do you most dislike? They are all unpleasant
What is your present state of mind? It's too hard to say
For what fault have you most tolerance? I tolerate all my faults but not at all those of others.
Your favorite motto. One is better than two "you'll have it"
Cam Claudel May 16, 1888.
Inv. L.1451, Rodin museum archives, Paris
My fierce friend,
My poor head is very ill, and I can no longer get up in the morning. This evening, I traveled (for hours) without finding our places. How sweet would death be to me! and how long my agony is. Why didn't you wait for me at the workshop. where are you going? what pain I was destined for. I have moments of amnesia where I suffer less, but today the relentless pain remains. Camille, my beloved, despite everything, despite the madness that I feel coming and which will be your work, if this continues. Why don't you believe me? I abandon my Salon sculpture; If I could go anywhere, a country I would forget, but there isn't one. There are times when I honestly think I will forget you. But in a single moment, I feel your terrible power. Have wicked mercy. I can't take it anymore, I can't go a day without seeing you. Otherwise the atrocious madness. It's over, I no longer work, evil divinity, and yet I love you with fury.
My Camille, rest assured that I have no female friendship, and my whole soul belongs to you.
I cannot convince you and my reasons are powerless. You don't believe in my suffering, I cry and you doubt it. I haven't laughed for a long time, I don't sing anymore, everything is tasteless and indifferent to me. I am already dead and I no longer understand the trouble I went to for things that are so indifferent to me now. Let me see you every day, it will be a good deed and maybe something better will happen to me, because only you can save me with your generosity.
Don't let the hideous and slow illness take over my intelligence, the ardent and pure love that I finally have pity for you my darling, and you yourself will be rewarded for it.
Rodin
I kiss your hands my friend, you who give me pleasures so high, so ardent, near you, my soul exists with force and, in its fury of love, your respect is always above. The respect I have for your character, for you my Camille, is a cause of my violent passion. don't treat me mercilessly I ask so little of you.
Do not threaten me and let yourself see that your gentle hand marks your kindness for me and that sometimes leaves it there, that I kiss it in my transports.
I regret nothing. Nor the outcome which seems funereal to me, my life will have fallen into an abyss. But my soul had its flowering, late unfortunately. I had to know you and everything took on an unknown life, my dull existence burned in a bonfire. Thank you because it is to you that I owe all the heaven that I have had in my life.
Your dear hands leave them on my face, may my flesh be happy that my heart still feels your divine love spreading again. In what intoxication I live when I am near you. With you when I think that I still have this happiness, and I complain. and in my cowardice, I believe that I have finished being unhappy that I am at the end. No, as long as there is a little hope, if just a drop, I must take advantage of it at night, later, the night after.
Your hand Camille, not the one that withdraws, no happiness in touching it if it is not a pledge of a little of your tenderness.
Ah! divine beauty, flower that speaks and loves, intelligent flower, my darling. My very good, on both knees, in front of your beautiful body which I hug.
R
Inv. MS.362, Rodin museum archives, Paris
Mr Rodin
As I have nothing to do I will write to you again.
You can't imagine how good it is at L'Islette.
I ate today in the middle room (which serves as a greenhouse) where you can see the garden on both sides. Madame Courcelles suggested to me (without me saying the least about it) that if it was agreeable to you you could eat there from time to time and even always (I think she has a great desire to do so) and that's it. is so pretty there!…
I walked in the park, everything is mowed, hay, wheat, oats, you can go around everywhere, it's charming. If you are kind, by keeping your promise we will experience paradise. You will have the room you want to work in. The old woman will be at our knees, I think.
She told me that I [missing word: could?] take baths in the river, where his daughter and the maid take them, without any danger.
With your permission, I will do the same because it is a great pleasure and it will save me from going to the hot baths in Azay. Would you be kind to buy me a little bathing suit, dark blue with white braid, in two pieces, blouse and pants (medium size), at the Louvre or at the cheap (in serge) or in Tours.
I sleep naked to make myself believe that you are there but when I wake up it's no longer the same
I kiss you
Camille
Above all, don't deceive me again.
On the left wall when entering the common room
Inv. MS.378, Rodin museum archives, Paris
Sir
I'm back in Paris. I couldn't take all my things from Islette because it would have cost me too much. It is agreed that I will come back next year. I was getting a little wild with my imagination. At Mad Courcelles alone I paid 300 f and 100 f to the moulder; 60 f for travel and additional baggage, parts etc. I have 20 f left and I only brought back a group and a bust, my laundry, my books, my drawings, etc. I had lunch with the Vaissiers who were very friendly and reassured me.
Camille
Inv. MS.376, Rodin museum archives, Paris
Mr Rodin
182 rue de Université, Paris
I was away when you came, because my father arrived yesterday, I had dinner and slept at our house. As for my health, I'm not getting any better because I can't stay in bed, having every moment the opportunity to walk. I probably won't leave until around Thursday. Miss Vaissier actually came to see me and told me all kinds of fables made up about me in an illiterate way. It seems that I go out at night through the window of my tower, hanging from a red umbrella with which I set fires in the forest!!!
Inv. MS.365, Rodin museum archives
Mr Rodin
You asked me by Le Bossé to write you my opinion on your statue of Balzac: I find it very large and very beautiful and the best of all your sketches of the same subject. Especially the very accentuated effect of the head which contrasts with the simplicity of the drapery and is absolutely found and striking. I also really like the idea of the floating sleeves which really expresses the man of careless spirit. [missing word: what is?] Balzac. In short, I believe that you should expect great success, especially among true connoisseurs who cannot find any comparison between this statue and all those with which the city of Paris has been adorned until now.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about my business. Recently Morhardt had me order from the Mercury of France 10 bronze busts of you which will be sold for 300 f each by this newspaper: but I will get 280 f for that [torn paper: on?] which [missing word, torn paper] pay the founder [missing word, torn paper: I have to?] in addition to doing the work of the engraver, that is to say removing the seams and engraving a caduceus I had accepted this order without realizing the work incumbent on me but just to engrave the caduceus it takes a day and 5 or 6 days to remove the seams properly: please tell Morhardt that I cannot continue these busts; I don't have 1000 francs to put out of my pocket to be accused of being a prodigal and orders of this kind are rather made to make people believe [missing word, torn paper] they only have it to really help them.
You did well to prevent Morhardt from publishing the article he had prepared about me, it was intended to attract anger and revenge on me which I certainly do not need.
You are perhaps wrong to believe in the complete goodwill of the Morhardts towards me; they are rather pretending, but I believe that in reality all their clan doesn't look favorably on them getting me orders, showing off and it would be better if all of Morhardt's efforts were at the service of Raymond Vernet and who are from the same country and the same religion and whose women are friends intimates of Mme Morhardt. You know well, moreover, what black hatred all women have for me as soon as they see me appear, until I have retreated into my shell, they use all the weapons, and moreover as soon as a man generous man takes care of getting me out of trouble; the woman is there to hold his arm and prevent him from acting. So I risk never reaping the fruit of all my efforts and dying in the shadow of slander and bad suspicions.
What I am telling you is completely secret and so that you can judge the situation clearly.
I have been ill for some time, which is why I delayed writing to you. The Courcelles mother managed to make me pay 1000 f for having left plasters at her house, I first wanted to attack her then I got scared.
If you found a way to claim your Dante from him by saying that you only forgot him there, you would make me a real pleasure.
Receive my regards.
C. Claudel
(copy in the hand of his secretary)
Inv. L.1394, Rodin museum archives, Paris
182 rue de l’Université
December 2, 1897
My friend. Your letter has added to my sorrows. I see that you have the difficulties of life and your imagination a little against you.
As long as one is not completely sure of his friends of change, one must remain faithful to friends. In life there are some; if you ignore them you no longer have support. Morhardt has long seemed to me to be your devoted friend. I have neither suspected nor seen anything of a chill for you. because without that her husband would not have been able to serve you, except in secret, which is not the case for Madame Courcelles. There is a lawyer who takes care of defending artists, he is a friend of mine. If you want to consult it from me here is the address. Auzoux 118 rue de Rivoli 118
For me it is difficult to ask for the Dante because in an old letter I told her that I would take some of her wine if she gave me back the plaster. There is, I believe, an adherence to the old donation. Especially since I had to thank her for the wine she once sent us, perhaps marking the exchange.
Of all this I am not sure. but I gave it and can't take it back. I'm sorry to see you nervous and taking a path that I unfortunately know. I know you have the virtue of sculpture. You have heroic constancy, you are an honest man, a brave man. in the struggle that you support admirably, and which makes you admired and known by all, do not bother yourself with petty gossip, above all, don't lose your friends out of capricious disgust everyone will be at your orders, if you want. Do not talk and work as you do. Your reputation is on target. But what irony when you are not happy with this delusional thing, what terrible years I spent. I'm just beginning to recognize myself. These days, and the kindness with which you judged my Balzac makes me a little more confident, because I would have needed your advice in the dark abandonment where I was left, for dead I believe.
One day I would like you to come and see my balzac which I had very light molded and which I will sometimes put in the courtyard to see the open air effect. There you could judge it with me
And believe my friend, leave your character as a woman who has dispersed good will. Show your admirable works there is justice, believe it. We are punished and we are rewarded. A genius like you is rare.
As for the article about you, I think Morhardt should publish it. I made the observation for a few words that could get you into trouble. But the whole thing is beautiful, very beautiful. and must appear.
For bronzes you need continue without caduceus with no seams removed, it's none of your business.
I don't know, my friend, if you will like this poor letter. I am different. I have been so ill and I am frightened to know that you are not well. I fear: for God's sake do not fall into inextricable annoyances: Mitigate everything you can and leave to bad luck only what you cannot take away from it. Your future is so beautiful. Do not neglect anyone, neither the least worker nor a servant, because all these details become instruments of torture for someone already tired, and who, like you, has taken on the great struggle with the terrible angel who guards the miserable world against geniuses like YOU. candy and patience
Courtry the late made an admirable etching based on your bust which I will send you.
Your friend and one of your most sincere admirers who kisses your hands
AR