Camille Claudel’s famous sculpture The Age of Maturity, which had been lost for over 100 years is set to be auctioned on February 16, 2025.
As per multiple outlets, Matthieu Semont, an auctioneer at Philocale auction house in Orleans, discovered the sculpture hidden under a cloth.
He found it while conducting an inventory of an apartment that had been empty for 15 years, located very close to the Eiffel Tower.
The sculpture is a powerful metaphor for aging. Youth is represented by a woman, kneeling and wide-eyed in the moment of loss. Middle age is shown by a man stepping away, his back turned and a solemn expression, possibly unaware of the loss.
The break in their clasped hands symbolizes the pain of lost time and youth.
Above them, an older woman guides the man forward, her hands firm and comforting.
A bronze version of Claudel’s sculpture could potentially set a new auction record in France. The artwork is estimated to be worth between €1.5 million and €2 million ($1.6 million to $2.1 million).
She was a French artist who created sculptures, commonly using materials like bronze and marble.
If the higher end of the estimate is reached, the sculpture will become the third most expensive work by her ever sold at auction.
