Overview
Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a French painter and a leading figure in Impressionism. He is famous for his landscapes and series of paintings that study the effects of light and atmospheric changes on specific subjects.
Here are the highlights of his life and work:
Beginnings and Influences: After making caricatures as a teenager, Monet became interested in outdoor painting thanks to Eugène Boudin . He then studied in Paris, where he met other future Impressionists such as Renoir, Sisley, and Pissarro.
Birth of Impressionism: In 1874, he participated in the group’s first exhibition in the studio of photographer Nadar. It was Monet’s painting, Impression, Sunrise, that gave its name to the movement. Critics used the term “Impressionists” to mock the style, which was considered unfinished and sketchy .
Favorite subjects: Monet moved away from history painting and mythological scenes to concentrate on scenes of modern life (train stations, Parisian boulevards) and, above all, on nature and landscapes. He painted the sea, the cliffs of Normandy, haystacks, and the water lilies in his garden at Giverny.
Series: One of the characteristics of his work is the creation of series of paintings in which he paints the same motif (Rouen Cathedral, haystacks, poplars) at different times of the day and year. The objective was to capture light and colors in their constant variations.
Final Years in Giverny: From 1883, Monet moved to Giverny . There he created a water garden with a pond and water lilies, which would become the sole subject of his last monumental works. The Water Lilies series , exhibited at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, was the high point of his career .
Monet’s work marked a turning point in the history of art, paving the way for modern art by freeing painting from its academic conventions and placing light and color at the heart of the subject.
History
Oscar-Claude Monet was born in Paris in 1840, but his childhood in Le Havre, Normandy, shaped his artistic vision. As a teenager, he became known locally by selling caricatures. His life changed when he met the painter Eugène Boudin , who encouraged him to paint outdoors and taught him to observe light and its variations. This encounter was decisive .
Arriving in Paris, Monet studied painting and became friends with other artists who shared his rejection of academic painting, such as Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille . Together, they developed a new approach: painting reality as it was perceived at the time, capturing the instant, fleeting impressions.
The advent of Impressionism
In 1874, frustrated by repeated rejections from the official Salon, the group organized its own exhibition. It was one of Monet’s paintings, Impression, Sunrise, which gave its name, initially pejoratively , to the Impressionist movement.
Monet and his friends sought to break with convention. They painted scenes from modern life and nature, using touches of pure color to convey the effects of light . However, the early years of the movement were financially difficult . Monet lived in poverty, supporting his wife, Camille Doncieux, and their children. Camille, who was his model in many of his paintings, died in 1879.
The series and Giverny
From the 1880s onwards, Monet’s situation improved. He became increasingly recognised and began to sell his works . It was during this period that he concentrated on his famous series : he painted the same subject , such as Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, or Poplars, at different times of the day to study how light and atmosphere transformed colours and shapes.
In 1883, Monet moved to Giverny, Normandy, where he bought a house and created his own paradise: a lush garden with a pond and a Japanese bridge. This place became his sole source of inspiration for the rest of his life. His later works are entirely devoted to his garden, particularly the Water Lilies series , which he painted tirelessly.
During his later years , despite vision problems caused by cataracts , Monet continued to paint his Water Lilies on gigantic panels. He died in 1926, leaving behind an immense body of work and a considerable influence on modern art. His legacy can be found today in museums around the world, but it is at Giverny and the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, where his large-scale Water Lilies are exhibited, that the power of his quest for light and the ephemeral can truly be grasped .
Timeline
Youth and education (1840-1870)
1840: Birth of Oscar-Claude Monet in Paris.
1845: His family moved to Le Havre, Normandy, where he spent his youth.
1850s : As a teenager, he excelled in caricature. He met Eugène Boudin , who introduced him to outdoor painting, a fundamental experience that would mark his entire career .
1859: He left for Paris to study art, notably attending the Académie Suisse where he met Camille Pissarro.
1862: Returning to Paris after military service in Algeria, he entered the studio of Charles Gleyre and met Auguste Renoir, Frédéric Bazille and Alfred Sisley. This group of friends formed the core of the future Impressionist movement.
1866: His painting Women in the Garden is rejected at the official Salon, marking the beginning of his disagreements with academic art.
1870: He marries Camille Doncieux, his partner and model . He takes refuge in London during the Franco-Prussian War, where he meets the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, a future important ally.
The era of Impressionism (1871-1890)
1872: He painted Impression, Sunrise, a painting that would become the birth certificate of Impressionism.
1874: The group of artists organizes their own exhibition in the studio of photographer Nadar. It was during this event that the critic Louis Leroy used the term “Impressionism” to mock the style of Monet and his friends.
1877: He produced his famous series of paintings on the Gare Saint-Lazare.
1879: His wife Camille dies . The following period is marked by financial difficulties and a gradual isolation from the Impressionist group.
1883: Monet rents a house in Giverny, Normandy, which will become his primary residence until his death. He lays out his gardens there, creating a place of endless inspiration.
1886: He produced his first major series on Haystacks.
Master of the series and final years ( 1891-1926)
1892-1894: He painted the series of Rouen Cathedrals, capturing the variations of light on the facade of the monument at different times of the day .
1893: Monet begins creating his water garden, with its water nymph pond and Japanese bridge. This place will become the exclusive subject of his later works.
1899-1904: He made several trips to London, painting series on the Thames, the Houses of Parliament and Waterloo Bridge.
1911: His second wife, Alice Hosched , dies.
1912: He is diagnosed with cataracts, which affect his vision and color perception.
1914: He began his immense canvases on Water Lilies, the cycle of which was offered to the French State after the First World War.
1926: Claude Monet dies in Giverny. The large Water Lilies collection is inaugurated at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris in 1927.
Characteristics of the paintings
Claude Monet’s paintings are characterized by a constant search for light and atmospheric effects that transform a subject. His style revolutionized painting by focusing on fleeting impressions rather than detailed and realistic representation .
Painting technique and style
Monet’s technique is the signature of the Impressionist movement. 🎨
Visible and rapid brushstrokes: Instead of mixing colors on his palette, Monet applied small touches of pure color directly to the canvas. Seen up close , these touches appear disordered , but from a distance, they optically blend in the viewer’s eye to create a cohesive and vibrant image.
Lack of clear contours: Shapes are not delineated by lines, but are created by juxtapositions of colors and contrasts. Contours are often blurred and imprecise, which accentuates the effect of a scene captured in the moment.
Color and Light : Light is the main subject. Monet painted outdoors (en plein air), seeking to capture the variations of sunlight on the color of objects. He avoided pure black, preferring shadows made of complementary colors.
The concept of series: To better study changes in light , Monet painted the same motif several times, at different times of the day or seasons of the year. His most famous series include Haystacks, Rouen Cathedrals, and Water Lilies .
Themes and subjects
Monet’s subjects are a reflection of his times and his artistic quest .
Landscapes and nature: From his early paintings of the Normandy coast to his later years in Giverny , nature was omnipresent. He painted scenes of everyday life in the open air, gardens, lakes and ponds .
Water and its reflections: Water fascinates Monet for its ability to reflect light , the sky, and surrounding colors. His paintings of lakes and rivers , such as the Water Lilies series , are explorations of reflections and perceptions of water.
Modernity: Although known for his landscapes, Monet was also interested in modernity and industrialization . His series on the Gare Saint-Lazare shows another side of his art, where he paints the smoke from the locomotives and the bustle of the city.
Impacts & Influences
Claude Monet’s impact and influence are immense and lasting, making him a central figure in art history. His work not only gave birth to Impressionism but also paved the way for modern art by pushing the boundaries of representation .
An artistic revolution
Monet’s most direct and significant impact is his role as the founding father of Impressionism. 🖼 ️
Liberation of Color and Light : Monet freed painting from the academic conventions that privileged drawing and historical subjects. By painting en plein air, he demonstrated that color is not a fixed quality of an object, but constantly changes with variations in light and atmosphere . He used visible brushstrokes of paint to capture this fleeting sensation.
The primacy of perception: Instead of representing what we know about reality , Monet painted what he perceived at a specific moment. This subjectivity of vision disrupted the relationship between the artist, the subject, and the audience.
Influence on modern art and the 20th century
Monet’s legacy extends far beyond his movement. His late works, notably the Water Lilies series painted at Giverny, had a profound impact on 20th-century art .
Toward Abstraction: In his later years , Monet’s vision became blurred due to cataracts. His water lily paintings are monumental compositions where spatial references (the horizon line, perspective) disappear. They are nothing more than surfaces of color and texture. This approach paved the way for abstract art and directly inspired painters such as the American Abstract Expressionists (e.g., Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko), who, like him, sought to create immersive works.
Series and Conceptualization: Monet’s method of painting the same motif in series influenced artists from other movements. By exploring a subject through multiple variations, he showed that the creative process and perception of the subject are as important as the final result. Pop artists like Roy Lichtenstein have paid homage to Monet’s Haystacks series.
Inspiration for many painters: Monet’s research on light influenced many painters after him . Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne drew inspiration from the structure of Impressionism to develop his own style. In addition, his work has continued to inspire painters of the 20th century and today, who study his techniques to explore the properties of color and light .
Claude Monet is the initiator of Impressionism?
Yes, Claude Monet is widely considered the leader of Impressionism and its main initiator. Although the movement was the product of a group of like-minded artists , Monet ‘s role was central and decisive .
His role is the determining one
Several elements explain why Monet is designated as the initiator of the movement:
The name of the movement: The term “Impressionism” comes directly from his painting Impression, Sunrise. Exhibited in 1874 at the group’s first exhibition , it gave rise to a mocking review by the journalist Louis Leroy, who thus named the movement.
The “plein air” technique: From the very beginning, under the influence of Eugène Boudin , Monet made painting en plein air the heart of his practice. This approach, which consists of leaving the studio to directly capture the effects of light and atmosphere , is the very basis of the Impressionist aesthetic.
Research into light and color: Monet pushed this research to its paroxysm, notably through his famous series of paintings (Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral), where he studied in an almost scientific manner the variations of light on the same subject . This quest for the ephemeral is the quintessence of Impressionism .
Of course, Monet wasn’t alone. Artists like Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, Auguste Renoir, and Alfred Sisley all contributed to the emergence of this new style. However, it was Monet’s vision and work that symbolized and defined the movement in the eyes of the public and art history.
Style(s), genre(s), theme ( s) and techniques
Claude Monet’s style is Impressionism, an artistic movement he helped found and of which he is the leader. His works belong mainly to the period of the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
Genres and themes
Monet worked mainly in the genre of landscape and genre scene (representation of everyday life).
Landscapes: This is his favorite subject. He painted scenes of the French countryside , the Normandy coast , the Thames in London and, above all, his own garden in Giverny.
Scenes from Modern Life: Early in his career , he also painted Parisian urban life, such as the series on the Gare Saint-Lazare, as well as scenes of outdoor leisure.
Themes : The central theme of all his work is light and atmospheric effects. He was interested in how light changed the color and appearance of objects over time.
Topics
Monet is famous for his series of paintings, where he explored the same subject at different times of the day to capture the variations in light . His most recurring subjects are:
Water: Bridges, rivers and especially its nymph pond in Giverny .
built structures : Haystacks, cliffs, poplars and Rouen Cathedral.
Portraits: He also painted portraits, notably of his wife Camille.
Techniques
Monet’s technique is the signature of Impressionism.
Plein-air painting: Monet worked directly outdoors to capture light and color from life. This practice, rare for the time, was essential to his approach.
Fragmented brushstrokes: He used short, visible brushstrokes, applied quickly. The mixing of colors does not occur on the palette, but optically, in the viewer’s eye, which gives his paintings a sense of vibration and dynamism.
unmixed colors and avoided black for shadows, preferring complementary or dark hues to create contrast.
Relations with painters
Claude Monet wove a network of direct artistic relationships that were fundamental to the emergence and development of Impressionism. He was both inspired by his elders and a pillar of inspiration for his contemporaries.
Édouard Manet (1832-1883)
Monet and Manet had a complex and friendly relationship, despite their frequent confusion due to their similar names. Manet, the elder and a figure of the Parisian avant-garde, initially influenced Monet with his approach to modern painting and his rejection of academic art. Manet initially perceived Monet as an imitator. However, their relationship developed into one of mutual admiration. The two artists spent time together, particularly in Argenteuil, where they painted en plein air. Notably, Manet painted a portrait of Monet in his floating studio on the Seine. Monet, in return, contributed to the public subscription to purchase Manet’s famous painting Olympia to bequeath to the French state .
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)
Renoir and Monet were very close , their friendship being one of the most important of the Impressionist group. They met at Charles Gleyre’s studio in Paris. They often painted together, sharing a passion for light and reflections. An emblematic example of their collaboration is the summer of 1869 , when they worked side by side on the banks of the Seine, painting the same subject , La Grenouillère . Their respective paintings on this theme illustrate both their closeness and their different sensibilities: Monet focused on the effects of water and atmosphere , while Renoir emphasized figures and social life.
Camille Pissarro (1830-1903)
Pissarro is considered the dean of the Impressionist group and was a constant friend and collaborator of Monet. Their lifelong friendship was based on mutual admiration and support. In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, the two artists took refuge in London and worked extensively together. It was Pissarro who introduced Monet to the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, a key supporter of the Impressionists. The two painters shared a deep commitment to plein-air painting and played a key role in organizing the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. Pissarro even helped convince others to participate, making him one of the pillars of the movement.
Frédéric Bazille ( 1841-1870 )
friend Frédéric Bazille was a key member of the first Impressionist circle. They met in Charles Gleyre’s studio and shared several studios in Paris , where they lived and painted together. Bazille, who came from a wealthy family, often provided financial assistance to Monet, who was experiencing difficulties. His untimely death during the Franco-Prussian War was a tragic loss for the group, which lost not only a friend and talented artist, but also one of its most loyal supporters . Bazille immortalized Monet in his painting Bazille’s Studio, in which Monet appears alongside his artist friends .
Relationships
Monet maintained direct and significant relationships with figures who were neither poets nor painters, primarily art dealers and patrons . These relationships were essential to his career , allowing him to survive and prosper financially , and to disseminate his work to a wider audience.
Paul Durand-Ruel: The Visionary Merchant
Monet’s most crucial relationship was with Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922). This art dealer became the Impressionists’ main advocate when they were still rejected by the public and critics.
Financial Support: From the early 1870s, Durand-Ruel began to purchase Monet’s paintings on a massive scale. This financial support allowed Monet to concentrate on his art without worrying about poverty .
International Promotion: Durand-Ruel organized exhibitions of Monet’s and other Impressionists’ works throughout Europe and, crucially , in the United States from 1886. These exhibitions were successful and created a new market for Monet’s works, ensuring his recognition and fortune .
Ernest Hosched : The first great patron
Ernest Hoschede ( 1837-1891) was a wealthy Parisian collector and businessman who was one of the first to believe in Monet and Impressionism.
Commissions and Friendship : Hoschedé commissioned Monet to paint decorative panels for his Rottenbourg Palace, near Paris . This collaboration led to a friendship. When Hoschedé went bankrupt, Monet welcomed his family, including his wife Alice, into his home in Giverny. Monet would eventually marry Alice after her husband’s death.
Georges Clemenceau: Friend and Political Protector
The relationship between Monet and Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929) is one of the most fascinating. Clemenceau, a politician and future French Prime Minister , was a very close friend and confidant of the artist.
Support and inspiration: After the death of his second wife , Alice, Monet fell into a deep depression. It was Clemenceau, the “Tiger,” who encouraged him to continue painting, despite his vision problems. Clemenceau convinced Monet to bequeath his large Water Lilies panels to the French state , on the condition that a special space be built for them at the Musée de l’Orangerie. He personally oversaw the installation of these works, ensuring their permanent display.
Similar Painters
His Impressionist friends and contemporaries
Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Renoir and Monet were very close and often painted side by side . Although they had a similar approach to the outdoors and light , Renoir stands out for his interest in figures and portraits, which are often softer and more luminous than Monet’s.
Camille Pissarro: Pissarro is often considered the dean of the Impressionist group. Like Monet, he had a preference for landscapes and rural scenes , but his work is characterized by a more earthy color palette and often more structured composition .
Alfred Sisley: Sisley was a pure Impressionist, devoting himself almost exclusively to painting landscapes. His work is particularly close to that of Monet in his treatment of light and atmosphere , notably cloudy skies and water reflections.
Berthe Morisot: As a woman artist, Morisot brought a unique perspective, focusing on scenes of domestic and family life. Her technique of light brushstrokes and clear colors is very close to that of Monet, and she actively participated in the group’s exhibitions.
The precursors
Monet was influenced by painters who paved the way for Impressionism.
Eugène Boudin: Monet’s mentor. Boudin was one of the first to encourage Monet to paint outdoors. His work on beach scenes and sea skies, capturing changing light effects, was a direct influence on Monet ‘s early works.
Johan Barthold Jongkind: A Dutch landscape painter who also had a great influence on Monet. His treatment of light and his rapid brushstrokes were a source of inspiration for the young artist.
Other movements
Finally, some figures from other movements can be compared to Monet, because of their research on color and light :
Paul Cézanne: Although he moved away from Impressionism, Cézanne began alongside Monet . He took up the idea of applying color in touches to create an impression, but to build up forms and volumes, an approach that paved the way for Cubism.
Vincent van Gogh: Van Gogh was greatly inspired by the light and vivid colors of Impressionism. Although his style is much more expressive and emotional, he shares the same fascination with how light transforms a subject .
Work of painting
famous works are those that best define Impressionism and bear witness to his tireless quest for light and atmosphere .
Here is a list of the most important ones:
Impression, Sunrise (1872): This is the painting that gave its name to the Impressionist movement. It depicts the port of Le Havre in a misty atmosphere and shocked critics of the time with its “unfinished” appearance and visible brushstrokes.
The Water Lilies series ( 1897-1926): This immense series of more than 250 paintings is Monet’s late-life masterpiece. Painted in his garden at Giverny, these large-format paintings show only the surface of the water and the reflections of the water lilies. They are considered precursors of abstraction.
The Haystacks series (1890-1891): In this series, Monet painted haystacks in a field near his house, at different times of day and under varying lighting conditions (sunrise, sunset, snow). The aim was to show how light transforms colors and shapes.
The Rouen Cathedrals series ( 1892-1894 ): Another famous series where Monet painted the facade of Rouen Cathedral more than 30 times, from a window , to study the variations of light and shadow throughout the day .
Woman with a Parasol (1875): This painting, which depicts his first wife Camille and their son Jean, is a perfect example of plein air painting. The movement and play of light on the dress and parasol are captured with light, fluid brushstrokes.
The Japanese Bridge (1899 and later): Located in his garden at Giverny, this bridge is one of Monet’s most recurring subjects, particularly in his later years . He painted it in many variations of light and season.
Impression, rising sun
The painting “Impression, Sunrise” is an iconic canvas by Claude Monet, painted in 1872. It is not only famous for its beauty, but also because it gave its name to the most influential artistic movement of the 19th century : Impressionism .
Description of the painting
The painting depicts a view of the port of Le Havre, Normandy, at sunrise. In a misty atmosphere, the silhouettes of the boats and factory chimneys in the background are barely visible . The composition is dominated by a bright orange sun, whose reflection sparkles on the water. In the foreground, two small boats can be seen, their shapes barely suggested .
Monet used a technique of quick, visible brushstrokes, with little regard for details or precise contours. He focused on light and color to capture the fleeting effect of the moment, the visual impression he had of the scene . The colors are soft and blend together, creating a peaceful , ethereal atmosphere .
The origin of the name “impressionism”
In 1874, Monet and a group of like-minded artists, including Renoir, Pissarro, and Degas, held their own exhibition to showcase their works, which were rejected by the official Salon. Art critic Louis Leroy, upon seeing Monet’s painting, wrote a satirical article in which he called these artists “impressionists,” mocking the “unfinished” nature of their works, which appeared to be mere “impressions.”
The term, initially used pejoratively , was quickly adopted by the group itself , who understood that it perfectly summed up their new artistic approach.
The place of the work in the history of art
“Impression, Sunrise” is now considered the birth of modern art. It marked a break with tradition by freeing painting from the need for detailed representation to focus on perception, color, and light . This painting is housed in the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris, where it continues to attract millions of visitors fascinated by the work that started it all .
The Rouen Cathedrals Series
The Rouen Cathedral series is one of Claude Monet’s most ambitious and famous projects . Painted between 1892 and 1894, it consists of around thirty paintings depicting the facade of Rouen Cathedral at different times of the day and year .
The genesis of the project
Monet began this series after his success with Haystacks. Fascinated by light and its effects on surfaces, he chose the cathedral as his subject for its intricate Gothic architecture, ornamentation, and reliefs. The cathedral’s facade provided an ideal surface for capturing the constantly changing light .
Monet lived in rented rooms across the street from the building, painting the cathedral from a window . For each painting, he worked for only a short period, to capture a specific moment of day or weather condition . He would change canvases as the light changed , sometimes working on more than ten paintings at the same time.
A study of light and color
Monet’s aim was not to paint the cathedral as a historical monument, but to capture the atmosphere and the effects of light on its stone. The subject is a pretext for his exploration of color.
In the series, we can observe:
Changing Colors: The same element , such as a shadow, is represented with varying colors (purple, blue, pink, yellow) to reflect the influence of light and the sky.
The Dissolution of Form: Under the influence of color and variations in light , the cathedral’s facade sometimes seems to dissolve, losing its rigidity to become a surface of pure color and texture .
The Rouen Cathedrals series marked an important milestone in the development of modern art. It masterfully demonstrated that the subject of a painting could be light itself , thus paving the way for abstraction. Today, some of these canvases can be seen in major museums such as the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York .
Woman with an Umbrella
painting “Woman with a Parasol,” also known as Promenade, is an iconic work from 1875 that perfectly illustrates the principles of Impressionism.
Description and context
The painting depicts a woman holding an umbrella, standing on a green hill, facing a light breeze . She is accompanied by a young boy , her son Jean. The woman is in fact Monet’s first wife , Camille Doncieux, who was his model in many of his paintings.
The scene is not a posed portrait, but a scene captured on the spot, a snapshot of family life outdoors. The wind blows Camille’s white dress and the ribbons of her hat, giving an impression of movement and naturalness.
Technique and style
Light and Backlighting: Light is the main subject. Monet placed his figures against the light, which creates fascinating plays of light and shadow . There are no clear outlines; the woman’s form is rendered through touches of color and contrast.
Visible Brushstrokes: As in his other Impressionist paintings, Monet uses quick, visible brushstrokes. The green of the landscape, the white of the dress, and the blue of the sky are applied in small strokes, creating a vibrant surface that evokes the movement of air and sunlight .
Feeling of immersion: The angle of view, from a low angle and slightly oblique , gives the viewer the impression of being present on the hill with the characters.
Importance of the work
Woman with a Parasol is a masterpiece of Impressionism because it encapsulates the essence of the movement: capturing a fleeting “impression” of life. It is not about Camille’s beauty, but about the light surrounding her, the wind in her dress, and the atmosphere of a summer day . It is one of Monet’s most famous paintings and is now housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
Work outside poetry
famous activity was the creation and layout of his garden at Giverny. This garden was much more than just a hobby; it was a full-fledged artistic project that was the subject of his final creative period . 🌸
Monet first rented the house in Giverny in 1883, before purchasing it. He spent the rest of his life perfecting his garden, dividing it into two parts:
Le Clos Normand: A traditional flower garden, with flower paths and brightly colored plants.
The Water Garden: Inspired by Japanese prints, he created a pond, a wooden bridge painted green, and planted weeping willows and, of course , water lilies .
The creation of this garden was a true passion for Monet, who oversaw every detail. Not only did he design the layout , but he also imported many exotic plants. This garden became his sole subject of painting for the last thirty years of his life, notably for his famous Water Lilies series .
Monet was also interested in photography. Although he was not a photographer himself , he often collaborated with photographers such as Gustave Le Gray and was fascinated by the way photography could capture light and landscapes. He was thus able to draw inspiration from this new technology to refine his own research on light .
Episodes and anecdotes
Of course, here are some anecdotes and significant episodes from the life of Claude Monet which reveal his character and his passions.
The destruction of one’s own works
Monet was a tormented perfectionist and, at times in his life, he destroyed his own paintings. If the result did not match his vision, he did not hesitate to burn or slash it . It is estimated that he destroyed several hundred of his canvases during his career . One day, his art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel, caught him slashing works, and he had to beg him to stop . This episode shows how uncompromising he was with his own work.
His passion for light and his haystacks
Monet was so obsessed with the effects of light that he bought haystacks from a peasant so he could paint them as he pleased. Instead of harvesting them, he left them on his land and ordered his gardener to protect them from the rain with a tarpaulin . Thus, he was able to paint them at dawn, at noon, at sunset, and even in the snow, creating his famous Haystacks series .
A relationship with one’s garden
Monet invested considerable sums of money and time in creating his garden at Giverny. He diverted a stream to create the water lily pond and even hired six full-time gardeners to maintain his floral paradise. His obsession with the place was such that he forbade anyone from planting a flower he didn’t like. For him, the garden was not a mere hobby, but a living palette of colors.
A chef
Less well known, but just as revealing of his personality, is Monet’s passion for cooking. He loved to eat and cook. He kept recipe books in his own neat calligraphy, and his recipes were something to be taken seriously. He invited his friends and figures from the artistic and political worlds to serve them sumptuous meals, where he was the master of ceremonies , as creative behind the stove as he was in front of his easel.
These anecdotes reveal a complex man: perfectionist and passionate , demanding and creative, whose life was a constant quest for beauty and light .
(This article was generated by Gemini. And it’s just a reference document for discovering poet and poetries you don’t know yet.)