Early life He was born in Villeneuve-sur-Fère (Aisne), into a family of farmers and government officials. His father, Louis-Prosper, dealt in mortgages and bank transactions. His mother, the former Louise Cerveaux, came from a Champagne family of Catholic farmers and priests. Having spent his first years in Champagne, he studied at the lycée of Bar-le-Duc and at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in 1881, when his parents moved to Paris. thumb|left|140px|Paul Claudel, age sixteen, by his sister, Camille Claudel, modeled in 1884 and cast in 1893 An unbeliever in his teenage years, Claudel experienced a conversion at age 18 on Christmas Day 1886 while listening to a choir sing Vespers in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris: "In an instant, my heart was touched, and I believed." He remained an active Catholic for the rest of his life. In addition, he discovered Arthur Rimbaud's book of poetry Illuminations. He worked towards "the revelation through poetry, both lyrical and dramatic, of the grand design of creation".
Early life He was born in Villeneuve-sur-Fère (Aisne) into a family of farmers and government officials His father Louis-Prosper dealt in mortgages and bank transactions His mother the former Louise Cerveaux came from a Champagne family of Catholic farmers and priests Having spent his first years in Champagne he studied at the lycée of Bar-le-Duc and at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in 1881 when his parents moved to Paris thumb|left|140px|Paul Claudel age sixteen by his sister Camille Claudel modeled in 1884 and cast in 1893 An unbeliever in his teenage years Claudel experienced a conversion at age 18 on Christmas Day 1886 while listening to a choir sing Vespers in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris "In an instant my heart was touched and I believed" He remained an active Catholic for the rest of his life In addition he discovered Arthur Rimbaud's book of poetry Illuminations He worked towards "the revelation through poetry both lyrical and dramatic of the grand design of creation"