Clodagh Finn: The Irish woman who was a famous French sculptor's studio assistant

The memory of Nuala O’Donel has been resurrected thanks to writers Isadore Ryan and Brendan Lynch

One of Nuala O’Donel's watercolours, now owned by Brendan Lynch. Picture: courtesy of Brendan Lynch and Isadore Ryan.

There is no known photograph of Nuala O’Donel, an Irish artist and studio assistant to the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin, but this account from her fellow artist Gwen John paints a vivid picture.

Gwen, a Welshwoman, described visiting Nuala’s “splendid marbled studio” in Belle Époque Paris to find her reclining on a grand divan “dressed in a grey velvet tea gown trimmed with grey fur”. A shimmering array of liqueur bottles in silver cases were visible in the raised dining room.