A version of “The Age of Maturity,” a famous sculpture by French artist Camille Claudel, was found by chance under a sheet in a dust-covered Paris apartment that has been empty for more than 15 years. Matthieu Semont, who made the discovery, tells AFP he was “overwhelmed with emotion” when he recognized the piece. According to several art historians, the sculpture represents a cycle of life, embodied by three figures including a kneeling young woman, symbolizing the heart-rending passion between the sculptress and the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Estimated between 1.5 and 2 million euros, the bronze will be auctioned by auction house Philocale on February 16 at the Orléans town hall. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES