The film recounts the troubled life of French sculptor Camille Claudel and her long relationship with the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Beginning in the 1880s, with the young Claudel's first meeting with Rodin, the film traces the development of their intense romantic bond. The growth of this relationship coincides with the rise of Claudel's career, helping her overcome prejudices against female artists. However, their romance soon sours, due to the increasing pressures of Rodin's fame and his love for another woman. These difficulties combine with her increasing doubts about the value of her work drive Claudel into an emotional tumult that threatens to become insanity.