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

Mahoudeau is a sculptor whose work is largely unappreciated. He lives in great poverty, deplorable conditions, and is without even the means to stay warm during the winters. The sculpture he believes to be his great masterpiece melts away when he lights a fire to take the chill off the space in his studio. He later manages to salvage it to a point, and the young girl he forms becomes symbolic of the fact his achievement is less than his ability. Over time, he like the others, blames his own failures on Claude.