Who is Christine from The Masterpiece and what is their importance?

Christine is a tragic figure of a girl, who sacrifices her modesty and her life for love. She is a practical girl in every way, until it comes to Clause..... the man she loves. Unwilling to be parted from him, she does the unthinkable and moves in with him. After they have lived in the country for several years, she comes to the realization that he needs to be in the city to work on his art. Her encouragement of him to return to Paris, however, creates the perfect conditions for the complete deterioration of their marriage. Note, her love for Claude never falters, even after she comes to understand that her rival isn't another woman...... her rival is art.