Reopened only seven years ago, the Camille Claudel museum in Nogent-sur-Seine (Aube) is launching the very first crowdfunding campaign in its history this April. For 45 days, it offers generous donors the opportunity to contribute to the creation of a new bronze model of Au But, a monumental work by Alfred Boucher, considered the very first teacher of Camille Claudel, the local child.
The resurrected monumental work, which represents three athletes in full effort on the verge of crossing a fictitious finish line (a nod to this Olympic year), would be installed in Nogent-sur-Seine, in the park of the former museum created by Alfred Boucher in 1902. Beyond his works, the artist is also known for having introduced to Auguste Rodin the promising Camille Claudel who, as a teenager, lived in the northwest of Aube with her family, between 1876 and 1879.
“Au But is a UFO in the work of Alfred Boucher,” recognizes Pauline Fleury, the person in charge of the public at the Nogent museum. This immense sculpture, two meters high and three meters long, designed in 1886, was innovative for its time. It pays tribute to the birth of athletics in France, ten years before the first Olympic Games of the modern era. “We do not know why Alfred Boucher created this work. Usually, he designed allegorical sculptures, related to mythology or nudes,” recalls Pauline Fleury.
The plaster of Au But was purchased in 1887 by the State, which immediately ordered a bronze reproduction to be installed in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. It will not withstand the Second World War and the German occupation. Bronze was seized and melted down to fuel Nazi Germany’s weapons production. Eight decades later, a new bronze could therefore be cast. “It’s an idea that goes back several years,” emphasizes Pauline Fleury. It was finally successful thanks to the support of the Aube department. »
Donations from 10 euros
The department will be the project manager if the crowdfunding objective, namely 15,000 euros, is reached. Firstly, since the museum does not rule out, if successful, extending the initial duration by 45 days, in order to finance part of the base for future reproduction. From 10 euros, everyone can make their contribution to the project. “This statue will be for everyone. Crowdfunding was the best way to involve the population,” assures Pauline Fleury.
For those who are not yet familiar with the monumental work of Alfred Boucher, the plaster of Au but is currently on display at the Camille Claudel museum in Nogent, from March 30 until July 28, the closing date of the exhibition. dedicated to the sculptor. It was specially taken out of the reserves of the Troyes art and archeology museum. Depending on the amount of donations, different compensations exist. For 10 euros, donors will receive two invitations for the inauguration of Au But and a postcard of the sculpture. For 300 euros, it will be two invitations for the inauguration, four entries to the museum and a magnet from Au But…
Important detail: donations for crowdfunding are 66% tax deductible. In other words, a donation of 300 euros actually only costs you 102 euros. “This new sculpture will also be a gateway to the museum,” Pauline Fleury is convinced. 20,000 visitors already cross the threshold each year.