The Age of Maturity is a bronze sculpture created by Camille Claudel, a famous French sculptor and artist from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth-century. This piece was, and continues to be, considered her masterpiece for a variety of reasons that go beyond its aesthetic magnificence; the sheer size of this piece only adds to its emotional weight. When viewed carefully, the intricate details of the human figure – the musculature, the veining, the delicate forms – reiterate why this piece received the praise and recognition that it did and still does to this day. And as its narrative unfolds, in whatever interpretation the viewer chooses, its beauty is only enhanced.Â
There are two main interpretations that scholars have made of this sculpture, both made convincing when given the historical context, as well as the biographical context, of the artwork. The most well-received one views this piece as autobiographical, and to understand the story of the sculpture, Camille’s story must be told first.Â
Without getting into the nitty-gritty of her relationship with Auguste Rodin, it would be easiest to tell the story of how they began and ended. Rodin was, and is, one of the most well-known sculptors of the modern era. Claudel was a “student” of his (I include quotations because Rodin wasn’t much of a teacher) but soon became an acclaimed artist in her own right, though his influence cannot be disregarded in her work. Over time, their professional relationship turned intimate, with their twenty-four year age gap playing quite a large role. This, for obvious reasons, is problematic on its own, but it was not the main reason why their relationship ended. Rodin had an older girlfriend that he refused to leave for Claudel, and reasonably so, this upset her enough to make the decision of leaving him.Â
The characters within this biographical story may become familiar within the sculpture. This interpretation views the sculpture as the ending of Claudel and Rodin’s relationship. The young woman on her knees, reluctantly letting go of the man’s hand as he walks away would, in this case, be Claudel. Who might the old wrinkly man be, you ask? You guessed it! Rodin.
When viewed closely, their age difference becomes apparent in the way Claudel sculpts their bodies and faces. The third figure, an old woman clutching onto Rodin, would be his older girlfriend. In this interpretation, it seems as though Rodin is falling into the arms of his girlfriend as his hand is outstretched behind him, his fingertips leaving the grasp of Claudel. The artists in the popular movement of this time, Symbolism, were committed to portraying deep emotional experiences through their composition and style. In Claudel’s sculpture, this comes across with the musculature and facial expressions of the individuals, as well as the way the figures are positioned in relation to each other. Hands have always been able to convey emotion in ways that other body parts are incapable of, and the wrinkles and veins of the man’s hands show not only his age, but the emotions that come with maturity; regret, longing, reluctance. As his hand is outstretched towards the girl’s, we see these emotions displayed in regard to their loss of connection and abandonment of his young lover.Â
My own interpretation, upon first looking at this sculpture, consists of similar themes but with a different narrative. My initial reaction to this sculpture was understanding it as an illustration of the stages of getting older; this was before I realized that it was depicting both a male and female. However, I think the argument could still stand in some ways. Humans, of course, despise the idea of growing old; our wrinkly future selves haunt us as our youth slips away. If you were to view the three figures as representing the same person throughout the different stages of their life, you can see how the unavoidable part of human nature materializes. The middle-aged figure in the middle is being pulled away by the human manifestation of old age, the elderly woman. This center figure reaches back longingly to the younger version of themselves, but there is nothing to be done to stop time.
Under further inspection and realization that it’s depicting both male and female figures, my interpretation began to transform. I then saw the sculpture as representing the notion that a man may long for the vivacity of younger women, but is often forced to stay with their partner as they grow old together. My use of “forced” is just to speak on how I think men might interpret this reality, as well as how it is depicted in the piece. Although, who is to say a woman wouldn’t feel the same way? Regardless, I think in life, and in the media, there are more cases where older men are seen with younger women because of this belief, some even leaving their wives to date younger (there are a few celebrities that come to mind). When applying this interpretation to the sculpture, we can see the man as wanting to stay with the younger girl, but is trapped in the arms of the older, aging woman.Â
The woman could also be the same figure as the girl, but represented at different ages. The old woman hanging on the man, almost taunting him like a restless spirit, could be the same girl on her knees, reaching out longingly to her departing love. In my head, I imagine the woman whispering into the ear of the man, “Though you may have abandoned me in your continued search of youth, I will always be a part of you, aging just as you are, sharing the same marks of time that you try to hide.” There are many ways you can read this sculpture, as the title, The Age of Maturity, is the only hint Claudel gives as to what she intended to sculpt out of plaster. Regardless of what the narrative may be, this piece is truly one of Claudel’s masterpieces and remains timeless as the years go by. Aging is inevitable, and though as humans we long to find ways to avoid it, there is also beauty in growing into maturity. With this artwork the viewer connects with the emotions that the figures exhibit as they represent a life progressing, but also the elegance and depth that is felt with every stage you experience in your life. Though the figures in this piece may have aged, the impact that this sculpture has on the art world, and anyone that views it, will never die away.