Claude Monet

Full Name

Oscar-Claude Monet

Vital Statistics

• Born: November 14, 1840, Paris, France
• Died: December 5, 1926, Giverny, France (age 86)
• Burial: Giverny Church Cemetery, Giverny, France

Nationality

French

Movement

Impressionism (founder and leader)

Spouses

1. Camille Doncieux (married 1870, died 1879)
2. Alice Hoschedé (married 1892, died 1911)

Children

8 children total, including: - Jean Monet (with Camille) - Michel Monet (with Camille) - Blanche Hoschedé Monet (Alice’s daughter, who became Monet’s assistant and model)

Primary Occupations

• Painter
• Founder of Impressionism
• Leader of the Impressionist movement
• Series painter (Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, Water Lilies)

Era

Monet lived during one of the most transformative periods in French and art history: - Second French Empire (1852-1870): His formative years - Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871): Exile in London - Third French Republic (1870-1940): His mature period - Belle Époque (1871-1914): Rise to fame and financial success - World War I (1914-1918): Continued painting despite war - Interwar period (1918-1926): Final years, Grandes Décorations

His career spanned from the 1850s to the 1920s, encompassing the birth, development, and triumph of Impressionism, and extending into the development of Modernism.

Introduction

Claude Monet stands as the foundational figure of Impressionism, the art movement that revolutionized painting in the late 19th century and laid the groundwork for modern art. His painting “Impression, Sunrise” (1872) gave the movement its name, and his dedication to capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere transformed how artists approached the visible world. Through his series paintings - Haystacks, Poplars, Rouen Cathedral, and especially the monumental Water Lilies - Monet pushed painting toward abstraction and paved the way for 20th-century art movements.

Born in Paris but raised in Le Havre, Normandy, Monet showed early artistic talent, drawing caricatures of locals as a teenager. His encounter with the painter Eugène Boudin, who encouraged him to paint outdoors (en plein air), set him on his life’s path. Despite parental opposition and years of poverty, Monet pursued his artistic vision with single-minded determination.

Monet’s early career was marked by struggle. Rejected by the official Salon exhibition repeatedly, he and his fellow outcasts - Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Bazille, Cézanne, Degas - organized their own exhibitions, beginning in 1874. The critic Louis Leroy mocked Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” as merely an “impression” rather than a finished painting, inadvertently naming the movement that would transform art.

The 1880s brought financial stability and artistic maturity. Monet moved to Giverny in 1883 and began creating his famous garden, which would become the primary subject of his late work. His series paintings of the 1890s - multiple canvases of the same subject under different conditions of light and weather - demonstrated his commitment to capturing the ephemeral effects of atmosphere.

The Water Lilies series, begun in the 1890s and continuing until his death, represents Monet’s ultimate artistic achievement. These monumental canvases, increasingly abstract, dissolve form into color and light, anticipating Abstract Expressionism and other modern movements. The Grandes Décorations, commissioned by the French government and installed in the Orangerie Museum after his death, create an immersive environment of water, sky, and vegetation.

Monet died at Giverny in 1926 at age 86, nearly blind from cataracts but still painting. His home and gardens at Giverny remain one of France’s most visited tourist attractions, and his paintings command some of the highest prices in the art market. More importantly, his artistic innovations - painting outdoors, capturing fleeting effects, the dissolution of form into light and color - fundamentally changed how we see and represent the world.

Introduction

Claude Monet revolutionized painting through his dedication to capturing light, color, and atmosphere. From his early caricatures in Le Havre to the monumental Water Lilies of his final years, Monet pursued a single artistic vision: to paint not objects but the visual sensations they produce. This seemingly simple goal required decades of experimentation and produced works that remain among the most beloved and influential in art history.

Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” (1872) gave Impressionism its name and its central concept: that a painting could capture a momentary impression rather than a detailed description. This radical idea - that the artist’s subjective perception was worthy of representation - challenged centuries of academic tradition and opened painting to modernity.

The series paintings for which Monet is most famous - the Haystacks, Poplars, Rouen Cathedral, and Water Lilies - demonstrate his scientific approach to capturing changing conditions. By painting the same subject repeatedly under different light, he documented how perception depends on atmosphere, time of day, and season. These works hover between representation and abstraction, foreshadowing 20th-century developments.

At Giverny, Monet created not just paintings but a total work of art - the garden and water lily pond that inspired his greatest works remain preserved as he designed them. The Grandes Décorations, installed in the Orangerie Museum in Paris, create an immersive meditation space where visitors are surrounded by Monet’s vision of water, light, and floating vegetation.

Monet died in 1926, having outlived most of his Impressionist colleagues and witnessed the triumph of the movement he had founded. Today, his works are treasured in museums worldwide, his garden draws millions of visitors, and his artistic innovations continue to influence painters. Claude Monet’s legacy is not merely a body of beautiful paintings but a transformation in how we understand vision, light, and the act of painting itself.

Early Life of Claude Monet

Family Background

Oscar-Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840, at 45 Rue Laffitte in Paris, the second son of Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée Monet. His parents were lower-middle-class Parisians with modest means.

Parents

Claude Adolphe Monet (1800-1871): A grocer by trade who later entered the shipping business. He was a practical, conventional man who viewed his son’s artistic ambitions with skepticism. He wanted Claude to join the family grocery business or enter a respectable profession.

Louise Justine Aubrée (1805-1857): A trained singer who shared her husband’s conventional values but was more sympathetic to her son’s artistic interests. She died in 1857 when Claude was 16, a loss that affected him deeply.

Early Childhood (1840-1845)

Claude spent his first five years in Paris. The family lived in a working-class neighborhood near the Saint-Lazare railway station. In 1845, when Claude was five, the family moved to Le Havre in Normandy, where his father hoped to expand the family business.

Childhood in Le Havre (1845-1857)

The Move to Normandy

Le Havre was a bustling port city on the English Channel, vastly different from Paris. The family settled into the coastal environment, and it was here that Monet’s artistic sensibility developed.

The Normandy coast would become one of Monet’s lifelong subjects: - The sea and changing weather - The cliffs and beaches - The fishing boats and harbors - The quality of northern light

Early Artistic Talent

By age 15, Monet was already known locally for his caricatures: - Drew portraits of local townspeople - Sold them in a frame shop for 10-20 francs each - Showed remarkable facility with line and likeness - The caricatures were witty and commercially successful

These early works revealed: - Quick observation skills - Ability to capture likeness - Sense of humor - Entrepreneurial spirit

Meeting Eugène Boudin (1856)

The most important event of Monet’s early life occurred in 1856 when he met Eugène Boudin, a local landscape painter. Boudin recognized Monet’s talent and encouraged him to paint outdoors.

Boudin’s influence was decisive: - Introduced Monet to painting en plein air (outdoors) - Taught him to observe atmospheric effects - Demonstrated that landscape could be serious subject - Became a lifelong friend and mentor

Monet later said of Boudin: “If I have become a painter, I owe it to Eugène Boudin.”

The Frame Shop

Monet’s caricatures were displayed and sold at the shop of a local frame dealer, who also sold paints and artists’ supplies. This connection: - Gave Monet his first income from art - Introduced him to art materials and supplies - Put him in contact with other artists - Provided early validation of his talent

Mother’s Death (1857)

In 1857, when Monet was 16, his mother died. Her death: - Occurred during her second pregnancy - Left the family bereaved - May have intensified Monet’s focus on art - Led to his aunt, Marie-Jeanne Lecadre, becoming more involved in his life

Formal Art Education (1858-1860)

Paris and the Académie Suisse (1859-1860)

In 1859, Monet traveled to Paris to study art, against his father’s wishes. His father would only support him if he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, but Monet preferred independent study.

He enrolled at the Académie Suisse: - An informal art school - No formal instruction, just studio space with models - Students drew from the nude - Libertarian atmosphere - Met Camille Pissarro there

Meeting Dutch Painter Johan Barthold Jongkind

In Paris, Monet met Jongkind, a Dutch landscape painter who influenced him: - Taught Monet to handle color more freely - Encouraged painting outdoors - Influenced Monet’s treatment of water and sky - Another mentor in landscape tradition

Military Service (1860-1861)

In 1860, Monet was called up for military service. This was obligatory for young Frenchmen.

The experience: - Assigned to the Chasseurs d’Afrique in Algeria - Served approximately two years (1860-1861) - The North African light and landscape impressed him - Contracted typhoid fever - His aunt paid for his discharge (a common practice)

Impact on his art: - Exposure to intense Mediterranean light - Memories of Algerian colors influenced later work - Broader view of landscape possibilities - Confirmed his desire to be an artist

Return to Le Havre and Paris (1861-1862)

After his discharge, Monet returned to Le Havre, then went back to Paris in 1862 to resume his artistic studies.

Charles Gleyre’s Studio (1862-1863)

Monet enrolled in the studio of Charles Gleyre, a Swiss academic painter. While Gleyre was a traditionalist, his studio brought together several young painters who would become central to Impressionism: - Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Alfred Sisley - Frédéric Bazille

What they learned: - Academic techniques (which they would rebel against) - Lifelong friendships formed - Shared dissatisfaction with official art - Mutual encouragement

Gleyre reportedly criticized Monet for painting outside the studio and not following academic conventions. Monet chafed at the restrictions and left the studio.

Early Career and Poverty (1860s)

The Forest of Fontainebleau (1860s)

Like many young French painters, Monet painted in the Forest of Fontainebleau: - Barbizon School tradition - Painted outdoors - Study of nature - Met other artists

First Salon Acceptance (1865)

In 1865, Monet had his first painting accepted by the official Salon: - “The Mouth of the Seine at Honfleur” - A seascape showing his Normandy roots - Success seemed possible

But subsequent submissions were rejected, and Monet’s struggles continued.

Camille Doncieux (1866)

In 1866, Monet met Camille Doncieux, a young woman who would become his first wife and the mother of his children. She became his primary model and muse.

Financial Struggles

The 1860s were years of extreme poverty for Monet: - No regular income - Dependent on family support (limited) - Borrowing from friends - Moved frequently to avoid creditors - Sold paintings for very little when he could sell them at all

His father was unsympathetic to his artistic ambitions and provided only minimal support. Monet’s aunt, Marie-Jeanne Lecadre, was more supportive but had limited resources.

Development of Impressionist Ideas (1860s)

During these years, Monet developed the ideas that would become Impressionism: - Painting outdoors to capture light - Working quickly to capture fleeting effects - Rejecting studio conventions - Brightening his palette - Loosening his brushwork

His painting “Women in the Garden” (1866) showed these tendencies and was rejected by the Salon. The large canvas, painted entirely outdoors, represented his commitment to the new approach.

Summary of Early Influences

By the late 1860s, when Monet was approaching 30, he had accumulated the experiences that would shape his art:

Artistic influences: - Eugène Boudin: outdoor painting, atmosphere - Johan Jongkind: color and water - Charles Gleyre: academic training (to rebel against) - Barbizon School: landscape tradition - Japanese prints: composition, flattening (discovered 1860s)

Life experiences: - Childhood by the sea in Normandy - Military service in Algeria - Years of poverty and struggle - Friendship with future Impressionists - Relationship with Camille

Artistic development: - Commitment to painting outdoors - Interest in capturing light and atmosphere - Rejection of academic conventions - Development of personal vision - Preparation for the revolutionary exhibitions of the 1870s

Monet’s early life was marked by family opposition, financial hardship, and artistic struggle. Yet by the end of the 1860s, he had formed the relationships, developed the ideas, and accumulated the experiences that would enable him to revolutionize painting in the following decades.

Career of Claude Monet

Early Career and Rejection (1860s)

The Salon System

In 19th-century France, an artist’s career depended on acceptance by the official Salon, an annual exhibition juried by the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Rejection meant obscurity and poverty; acceptance meant potential sales and recognition.

Monet’s relationship with the Salon was troubled: - 1865: First acceptance (“The Mouth of the Seine at Honfleur”) - 1866: “Camille” (Woman in a Green Dress) accepted and well-received - 1867: Rejected - 1868: Rejected - Subsequent years: More rejections than acceptions

The Salon’s academic standards favored: - Historical and mythological subjects - Smooth, invisible brushwork - Studio-finished paintings - Conventional composition

Monet’s work violated all these norms.

Women in the Garden (1866)

Monet’s painting “Women in the Garden” exemplified why the establishment rejected him: - Painted entirely outdoors (en plein air) - Large canvas (2.5 meters high) - Contemporary subject (women in modern dress) - Visible brushwork - Concern with light rather than detail

The painting was rejected by the 1867 Salon, and Monet was forced to leave it with a landlord as collateral for unpaid rent. It marked his definitive break with academic conventions.

The Franco-Prussian War and London (1870-1871)

Exile in London

When the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, Monet fled to London to avoid conscription. This period proved crucial for his development.

Paintings: - Views of the Thames - The Houses of Parliament - Hyde Park - Effects of London fog and atmosphere

Key influences: - Studied the works of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable at the National Gallery - Turner’s treatment of light and atmosphere particularly influential - Saw that landscape painting could be ambitious and serious

Meeting Paul Durand-Ruel (London, 1870)

In London, Monet met the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who would become his most important supporter: - Durand-Ruel bought Monet’s paintings - Provided financial support during difficult years - Would later organize Impressionist exhibitions - Became a patron of the entire movement

Without Durand-Ruel’s support, Monet might not have survived as an artist.

Return to France (1871)

After the war and the Paris Commune, Monet returned to France, settling in Argenteuil, a suburb of Paris on the Seine. This began one of his most productive periods.

The Argenteuil Period (1871-1878)

Life in Argenteuil

Argenteuil offered: - Proximity to Paris - Suburban and semi-rural subjects - The Seine River for boating scenes - Modern life subjects - Good light

Monet lived there with Camille and their son Jean (born 1867). This was a relatively stable and productive period, though still marked by financial struggles.

Development of Impressionist Technique

At Argenteuil, Monet perfected the Impressionist approach: - Plein air painting: Working entirely outdoors - Broken color: Separate brushstrokes of pure color - Capturing fleeting effects: Painting the same scene at different times - Modern subjects: Railways, boats, suburban life - High-keyed palette: Bright, light colors

Key Argenteuil Paintings

• “Impression, Sunrise” (1872) - painted at Le Havre, not Argenteuil, but of this period
• “The Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” (1873)
• “Boating at Argenteuil” (1874)
• “Poppies” (1873)

The First Impressionist Exhibition (1874)

The Société Anonyme

Frustrated by continued Salon rejections, Monet and his colleagues formed the Société Anonyme des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs, etc. (Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc.) to organize their own exhibition.

The exhibition: - April 15, 1874, at the studio of photographer Nadar - 30 artists participated - Monet exhibited “Impression, Sunrise” among other works

The Name “Impressionism”

Art critic Louis Leroy reviewed the exhibition for the newspaper Le Charivari. He mocked Monet’s painting:

“Impression - I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it… and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.”

He titled his review “The Exhibition of the Impressionists,” using the term derisively. The artists adopted the name, and Impressionism was born.

Subsequent Impressionist Exhibitions

Monet participated in most of the Impressionist exhibitions: - 1876: Second exhibition - 1877: Third exhibition - Monet showed seven paintings of the Saint-Lazare Station - 1879: Fourth exhibition (Camille was dying; Monet’s participation limited) - 1880: Did not participate - 1881: Sixth exhibition - 1882: Seventh exhibition - 1886: Eighth and final exhibition

These exhibitions gradually built the reputation of the Impressionists, though sales remained limited and critical reception mixed.

Camille’s Illness and Death (1876-1879)

Illness

Beginning around 1876, Camille Monet’s health declined. She suffered from tuberculosis and possibly cancer. Her illness placed enormous strain on the family: - Medical expenses - Monet’s inability to work consistently - Emotional devastation

Death (1879)

Camille died on September 5, 1879, at age 32. Monet was devastated. He painted her on her deathbed (“Camille Monet on Her Deathbed,” 1879), a haunting work capturing his grief.

After Camille’s death, Monet was left with two young sons and no regular income.

The 1880s: Vétheuil and Poissy

Vétheuil (1878-1881)

Following Camille’s death, Monet moved with his sons and the Hoschedé family to Vétheuil. Alice Hoschedé, the wife of Ernest Hoschedé (a bankrupt collector who had supported Monet), helped care for the children.

Paintings from this period: - Views of the Seine at Vétheuil - Winter scenes - Increasing financial difficulties

Poissy (1881-1883)

In 1881, Monet moved to Poissy, seeking cheaper accommodation. He was dissatisfied with the location: - Uninspiring scenery - Difficulty working - Continued financial struggles - Growing estrangement from some Impressionist colleagues

Move to Giverny (1883)

Finding Giverny

In 1883, Monet discovered Giverny, a village 50 miles northwest of Paris. He rented a house with a large garden and barn that could serve as a studio.

Why Giverny suited Monet: - Beautiful countryside - Eure River nearby - Proximity to Paris - Affordable - Potential for gardening

The Garden

Monet immediately began transforming the property: - Extensive flower gardens - Kitchen garden - Later, the famous water lily pond - The garden became both his creation and his subject

Alice Hoschedé and Remarriage (1878-1892)

The Relationship

Alice Hoschedé had been living with Monet since 1878, helping care for his children after Camille’s death. Her own husband, Ernest Hoschedé, was largely absent (he died in 1891).

Their relationship developed gradually: - Initially focused on practical matters - Deepened over years - Socially scandalous (living together unmarried)

Marriage (1892)

After Ernest Hoschedé’s death, Monet and Alice married on July 16, 1892. By then, they had been together for 14 years.

Combined family: - Monet’s two sons: Jean and Michel - Alice’s six children from her first marriage - Alice’s daughter Blanche would become Monet’s assistant and model

The Series Paintings (1890s)

The 1890s marked a new direction in Monet’s work: the series paintings.

Concept

Monet painted the same subject repeatedly under different conditions: - Same subject, multiple canvases - Different times of day - Different weather - Different seasons - Capturing fleeting effects systematically

Haystacks (1890-1891)

The series: - Approximately 25 paintings - Haystacks in fields near Giverny - Painted at different times and seasons - Captured light, atmosphere, color changes

Significance: - First major series - Commercial success - Critical recognition - Demonstrated Impressionist principles systematically

Poplars (1891)

The series: - 24 paintings - Trees along the Epte River - Different times of day - Some painted from boat to maintain viewpoint

Innovation: - Arranged with timber merchant to delay cutting - Paid to postpone harvesting - Total artistic control of subject

Rouen Cathedral (1892-1893)

The series: - Over 30 paintings - Cathedral facade from single viewpoint - Different times of day and weather - Most ambitious series to date

Achievement: - Transcended Impressionist spontaneity - Demonstrated sustained observation - Captured stone dissolving into light - Masterpiece of Impressionist technique

Other Series

Parliament, London (1899-1901): - Views of Thames and Parliament - Painted during trips to London - Fog and atmosphere - Waterloo Bridge series

Charing Cross Bridge: - Complementary London series - Different atmospheric conditions

Increasing Success (1890s-1900s)

Financial Security

By the 1890s, Monet was finally achieving financial success: - Durand-Ruel’s continued support - American collectors buying Impressionist works - Higher prices for paintings - Able to purchase his Giverny house (1890)

The Water Lily Pond (1893-1926)

Creating the Pond

In 1893, Monet purchased additional land across the railway line from his house and began creating his most famous subject: the water lily pond.

Features: - Artificial lake - Japanese bridge - Water lilies (imported from South America and Africa) - Weeping willows - Bamboo and other exotic plants

The Water Lilies Series

Beginning in the 1890s and continuing until his death, Monet painted the water lilies obsessively: - Approximately 250 paintings - Increasingly large canvases - Decreasing recognizable form - Approaching abstraction

Evolution: - Early works show bridge, vegetation, horizon - Later works dissolve into color and light - Water surface becomes main subject - Sky, trees, water merge

The Grandes Décorations (1914-1926)

The Project

Beginning around 1914, Monet conceived of a monumental project: large-scale water lily paintings that would create an immersive environment.

The paintings: - 22 panels total - Each panel approximately 2 meters high - Total length of approximately 91 meters - Painted on multiple canvases in his studio

The concept: - Room-sized installation - Visitors surrounded by water and vegetation - Meditative, immersive experience - No horizon, no shore, just water

The Orangerie

Monet donated the panels to the French state. They were installed after his death in the Orangerie Museum in Paris in two oval rooms: - Opened 1927 - Recently renovated and expanded (2006) - Now includes additional panels - Major destination for art lovers

Later Years (1900-1926)

Cataracts

Beginning around 1912, Monet developed cataracts that progressively impaired his vision: - Colors appeared yellowed - Details blurred - Required surgery (1923) - Recovery affected his painting

The cataracts may have contributed to the increasingly abstract quality of his late work, though he also painted this way deliberately.

Alice’s Death (1911)

Alice died in 1911, a loss that deeply affected Monet. He painted less during his grieving period.

World War I (1914-1918)

Monet remained at Giverny during the war: - Close to the front lines - Could hear artillery - Continued painting despite conditions - His son Michel served in the army

He wrote to friends that painting was his only consolation during the war.

Final Years (1918-1926)

Despite declining health and failing eyesight, Monet continued painting until his death: - Worked on Grandes Décorations - Painted water lilies - Garden continued to evolve - Received honors and recognition

Recognition: - Acknowledged as greatest living French painter - Wealthy and successful - Friends with politicians including Clemenceau - But increasingly isolated by vision problems

Death (December 5, 1926)

Monet died at Giverny on December 5, 1926, at age 86. He was buried in the church cemetery at Giverny.

His funeral was attended by many prominent figures, including his old friend Georges Clemenceau.

Summary of Career Achievements

• 60+ years of painting: From caricatures at 15 to Grandes Décorations at 86
• 2,500+ paintings: Documenting his artistic journey
• Series paintings: Haystacks, Poplars, Rouen Cathedral, Water Lilies
• Impressionism: Co-founder and leader of the movement
• Giverny: Created a total work of art that still exists
• Grandes Décorations: Gave France one of its great artistic monuments

Monet’s career traced the arc of Impressionism: from the revolutionary exhibitions of the 1870s through the critical battles of the 1880s to the triumphant recognition of the 1900s and the transition to modern art in the 1910s-1920s. He lived to see his artistic vision vindicated and his work celebrated worldwide.

Major Achievements of Claude Monet

Co-founding Impressionism

The First Impressionist Exhibition (1874)

Monet’s role in organizing and participating in the first Impressionist exhibition was his foundational achievement: - Co-founded the Société Anonyme des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs - Exhibited “Impression, Sunrise” - the painting that gave the movement its name - Demonstrated that artists could exhibit outside the official Salon system - Established the model for independent artistic movements

The Painting That Named a Movement

“Impression, Sunrise” (1872): - Painted at Le Havre, his childhood home - Depicted harbor at dawn - Quick, sketch-like brushwork - Captured atmospheric effect rather than detail - Critic’s mockery became the movement’s name

This painting embodied the Impressionist revolution: painting the visual impression rather than the detailed reality.

The Series Paintings

Monet’s most distinctive achievement was the series paintings - systematic studies of the same subject under different conditions.

Haystacks (1890-1891)

The Achievement: - Approximately 25 paintings - Same subject, different times and seasons - Captured light and atmosphere scientifically - Commercial success established Monet’s reputation

Significance: - Demonstrated Impressionist principles methodically - Proved the value of serial repetition - Showed Monet’s dedication to capturing fleeting effects

Poplars (1891)

The Achievement: - 24 paintings - Trees along the Epte River - Arranged with timber merchant to delay cutting - Painted from boat to maintain consistent viewpoint

Innovation: - Total control of subject - Willingness to pay to preserve motif - Systematic approach to capturing change

Rouen Cathedral (1892-1893)

The Achievement: - Over 30 paintings of the cathedral facade - Painted from room across the square - Different times of day, different weather - Stone dissolving into light and color

Significance: - Most ambitious series to date - Transcended spontaneous Impressionism - Demonstrated sustained observation - Gothic architecture transformed into color study

Critical reception: - Initially met with skepticism - Now recognized as masterpiece - Shows Monet at height of powers

The Houses of Parliament / Thames Series (1899-1901)

The Achievement: - Painted during trips to London - Parliament buildings and bridges - London fog and atmosphere - Waterloo Bridge series

Significance: - Return to London subject after 1870 - Mature handling of atmospheric effects - Captured London’s unique light

Water Lilies (1897-1926)

The Achievement: - Approximately 250 paintings - Painted over nearly 30 years - Increasingly large format - Increasingly abstract

Evolution: - Early works (1890s): Recognizable bridge, trees, horizon - Middle works (1900s): Water surface dominates - Late works (1910s-1920s): Near-abstraction, color fields

Significance: - Lifelong obsession - Ultimate Impressionist subject - Bridge to 20th-century abstraction - Immersive, contemplative experience

The Grandes Décorations

The Achievement

The Water Lilies installation at the Orangerie Museum represents Monet’s ultimate achievement:

The work: - 22 large panels - Total length: 91 meters (300 feet) - Painted specifically for installation - Donated to French state

The concept: - Two oval rooms - Surround the viewer with water and vegetation - No horizon, no shore - Infinite, immersive space - Meditation environment

Installation: - Opened 1927 (after Monet’s death) - Recently renovated (2006) - Now called Musée de l’Orangerie - Major cultural destination

Significance

• Culmination of lifelong artistic development
• Gift to the French nation
• Total environment art (preceding installation art)
• Bridge between Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism

Giverny

Creating an Artistic Environment

Monet’s transformation of Giverny into a total work of art:

The house: - Purchased 1890 - Painted interiors in his colors - Studio space - Domestic harmony

The flower garden: - Organized by color - Exotic plants - Japanese influence - Constant evolution

The water garden: - Artificial pond (1893) - Japanese bridge - Water lilies from around the world - Weeping willows - Bamboos and exotic vegetation

Significance

• Living artwork
• Subject and studio combined
• Total artistic control
• Still exists and functions as designed
• Major tourist destination (500,000+ visitors annually)

Artistic Innovations

En Plein Air Painting

Monet was a pioneer of painting entirely outdoors: - Rejected studio finishing - Painted large canvases outdoors - Captured immediate visual experience - Influenced by Boudin and Jongkind - Set standard for Impressionist practice

Capturing Fleeting Effects

Monet’s dedication to capturing momentary conditions: - Light at specific moment - Weather conditions - Time of day - Seasonal changes - Multiple canvases of same subject

Color and Light

Monet’s revolutionary use of color: - High-keyed palette - Pure color applied in strokes - Optical mixing (colors blend in viewer’s eye) - Captured effects of light on color - Abandoned black

Brushwork

His distinctive brushwork: - Broken strokes - Visible application - Varied according to subject - Became looser and more abstract over time

Recognition and Honors

During His Lifetime

• 1889: Monet-Rodin exhibition (with sculptor Auguste Rodin)
• 1890s: Financial success and critical recognition
• 1900: Universal Exhibition, Paris - awarded Legion of Honor
• 1904: Solo exhibition at Durand-Ruel, Paris
• 1908: Exhibition at Durand-Ruel, New York

Posthumous Recognition

• 1927: Grandes Décorations installed at Orangerie
• 1930s-1960s: Continued appreciation
• 1980: Fondation Claude Monet established
• 1980s-present: Monet as popular favorite

Major Museums

Monet’s works are in virtually every major museum: - Musée d’Orsay, Paris - Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Art Institute of Chicago - National Gallery, London - And hundreds more

Influence on Art History

On Impressionism

• Co-founder and leader
• Longest-lived Impressionist (died 1926)
• Maintained Impressionist principles longest
• Series paintings took Impressionism to new level

On Subsequent Art

Immediate influence: - American Impressionism - Post-Impressionism - Neo-Impressionism (Seurat learned from Impressionists)

20th century: - Abstract Expressionism (Pollock, Rothko) - Color Field painting - Abstract art generally

Contemporary: - Installation art (Grandes Décorations precedent) - Environmental art - Contemporary landscape painting

The Water Lilies as Bridge to Modernism

The late Water Lilies represent a crucial transition: - Dissolution of recognizable form - Pure color and light - Large-scale abstraction - Immersive experience - Contemplative rather than descriptive

These paintings influenced: - Abstract Expressionists - Mark Rothko’s color fields - Jackson Pollock’s all-over composition - Installation artists - Environmental artists

Summary of Achievement

Claude Monet’s achievements include: 1. Co-founding Impressionism and giving it its name 2. Perfecting plein air painting 3. Developing the series painting format 4. Creating the Giverny garden as total work of art 5. Painting the Grandes Décorations - immersive environment 6. Bridging Impressionism and modern abstraction 7. Influencing virtually every subsequent art movement 8. Achieving popular and critical acclaim

Monet’s career transformed painting from a descriptive medium to a means of capturing subjective visual experience. His dedication to light, color, and atmosphere opened possibilities that artists continue to explore. The Water Lilies, in particular, demonstrate that painting could transcend representation to create immersive experiences of color and light - a radical idea that anticipated much of 20th-century art.

His greatest achievement may be that he made painting about seeing itself - not seeing objects, but the act of perception, the play of light on the retina, the subjective experience of the visible world. This shift in understanding what painting could be remains his enduring legacy.

Technique and Style of Claude Monet

Impressionist Technique

En Plein Air (Outdoor Painting)

Monet was committed to painting outdoors to capture direct visual experience: - Set up easel in nature or urban environment - Painted what he saw at that moment - Weathered sun, wind, changing conditions - Worked quickly before light changed - Sometimes painted multiple canvases, switching as light changed

This practice distinguished Impressionism from academic studio painting and gave Monet’s work its immediacy.

Broken Color and Brushwork

Broken color technique: - Applied paint in separate strokes rather than blending smoothly - Pure colors placed side by side - Optical mixing occurs in viewer’s eye - Creates vibration and luminosity

Brushwork characteristics: - Short, choppy strokes in early work - Longer, more fluid strokes in later work - Directional brushwork suggesting form - Increasingly free and abstract over time - Varied according to subject (water vs. foliage)

High-Keyed Palette

Monet abandoned the dark, earthy tones of academic painting: - Used pure, bright colors - Abandoned black entirely - Shadows rendered in color (blues, purples, greens) - Captured effects of outdoor light - Influenced by color theory (though not systematic)

Capturing Fleeting Effects

Monet’s art was about capturing the ephemeral: - Specific moment in time - Specific quality of light - Weather conditions - Time of day - Seasonal variations

This required: - Rapid execution - Memory and observation combined - Multiple canvases of same subject - Series painting approach

Evolution of Style

Early Period (1850s-1860s)

Characteristics: - Tighter brushwork - More detail - Darker palette - Under academic influence - Transitioning to Impressionist approach

Examples: - Caricatures (very tight) - “Women in the Garden” (1866) - transitional - “The Woman in the Green Dress” (1866) - Salon success

Classic Impressionist Period (1870s-1880s)

Characteristics: - Broken color fully developed - Outdoor painting standard - High-keyed palette - Modern subjects - Capturing momentary effects

Examples: - “Impression, Sunrise” (1872) - “Argenteuil” series (1870s) - “The Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” (1873) - “Poppies” (1873)

Series Period (1890s)

Characteristics: - Systematic repetition of subjects - Scientific approach to light - Large canvases - Exhibition as series - Increasing abstraction

Examples: - Haystacks (1890-1891) - Poplars (1891) - Rouen Cathedral (1892-1893)

Late Period (1900-1926)

Characteristics: - Larger canvases - Looser brushwork - Increasing abstraction - Focus on water and reflection - Dissolution of form

Examples: - Late Water Lilies (1910s-1920s) - Grandes Décorations - “The Japanese Bridge” series

Series Painting Method

Concept and Practice

Monet’s series paintings were systematic studies:

Process: - Choose subject that could be repeated - Paint multiple canvases - Work on different canvases as light changes - Return to same subject over time - Accumulate variations

Purpose: - Capture changing conditions - Study light systematically - Demonstrate Impressionist principles - Create unified group for exhibition

Haystacks Method

The Haystacks series demonstrates the approach: - Chose haystacks in fields near Giverny - Painted at different times of day - Different seasons - Different weather - Result: 25 paintings showing infinite variation

Rouen Cathedral Method

The Cathedral series shows sustained observation: - Rented room across from cathedral - Painted same facade repeatedly - Three canvases (morning, afternoon, evening) - Switched as light changed - Over 30 paintings total

This was not mechanical copying but capturing genuine perceptual variation.

Subject Matter

Landscape

Primary subject throughout career: - Normandy coast (early) - Seine River scenes - Giverny surroundings - London Thames - Venice (1908) - Norwegian landscapes

Urban Scenes

Modern life subjects: - Railway stations (Saint-Lazare) - Boulevard des Capucines - Westminster Parliament - Street scenes

Water

Obsessive focus on water: - Rivers (Seine, Thames) - Harbors - The sea - The water garden at Giverny

Water allowed Monet to paint: - Reflections - Movement - Transparency - Abstraction

The Garden at Giverny

Ultimate subject: - Flower gardens (color compositions) - Water garden (reflections, abstraction) - Japanese bridge - Water lilies - Total artistic environment

Comparison with Contemporaries

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919)

Renoir was Monet’s closest colleague and friend:

Similarities: - Both core Impressionists - Painted together frequently - Similar color palette - Both focused on light effects

Differences: - Renoir: Figure painter primarily, interested in flesh, social scenes, sensuality - Monet: Landscape painter primarily, interested in atmosphere, nature, abstraction - Renoir: Remained more figurative - Monet: Pushed toward abstraction

Alfred Sisley (1839-1899)

Similarities: - Pure landscape painter - Similar technique - Subjects often comparable

Differences: - Sisley: More subdued palette, smaller scale - Monet: More ambitious, experimental, varied - Sisley: Remained consistent style - Monet: Constant evolution

Camille Pissarro (1830-1903)

The elder statesman of Impressionism:

Relationship: - Met at Académie Suisse - Mutual respect - Similar political attitudes (anarchist sympathies) - Painted together

Differences: - Pissarro: Figure in landscape, social content - Monet: Pure landscape, formal concerns - Pissarro: More consistent style - Monet: More experimental

Edouard Manet (1832-1883)

Manet was admired by the Impressionists but not one of them:

Relationship: - Monet respected Manet - Painted together at Argenteuil - Manet more urban, sophisticated

Differences: - Manet: Flatter space, black palette, modern subjects - Monet: Atmospheric space, high-keyed color, nature - Manet: Immediate influence on modern art - Monet: Longer-term influence

Post-Impressionists

The generation after Impressionism responded to Monet:

Georges Seurat: - Scientific approach to color (pointillism) - Took Impressionist color theory to logical extreme - Critiqued Impressionist spontaneity

Paul Cézanne: - Structured form out of Impressionist color patches - Bridge to Cubism - Rejected Monet’s dissolution of form

Paul Gauguin: - Reacted against Impressionist naturalism - Symbolic color - Synthetist approach

Vincent van Gogh: - Intensified Impressionist color - Emotional expression - Visible brushwork taken further

Materials and Methods

Paint

Monet used: - Oil paint primarily - Tube colors (enabling outdoor painting) - Pure pigments - Lead white - Variety of colors, avoiding black

Canvas and Support

• Primed canvas on stretchers
• Increasingly large formats in late career
• Some canvases joined together
• Prepared grounds

Studio Practice

While known for plein air painting, Monet did work in studio: - Finishing touches - Large canvases completed in studio - Grandes Décorations entirely studio work - Final adjustments to paintings

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

Observation: - Unmatched ability to see color and light - Captured fleeting effects - Years of observation distilled

Color: - Revolutionary use of high-keyed palette - Understanding of color relationships - Creation of luminosity

Dedication: - Single-minded focus - Willingness to paint same subject repeatedly - Lifelong commitment to artistic vision

Evolution: - Constant development - Pushed toward abstraction - Late work as innovative as early

Limitations

Drawing: - Deliberately imprecise drawing - Form subordinate to color - Sometimes criticized as lacking structure

Figure painting: - Secondary interest - Figures in early work not as successful as landscapes - Portraits rare and often stiff

Composition: - Sometimes repetitive - Relied on series concept - Less inventive in composition than in color

Repetition: - Late work sometimes seems to repeat itself - Could be seen as self-imitation - Commercial pressures may have contributed

Legacy of Technique

Monet’s techniques established: - Plein air painting as valid approach - Color theory for painters - Series painting as method - Capturing fleeting effects as goal - Abstraction as legitimate direction

His influence is visible in: - American Impressionism - Abstract Expressionism - Color Field painting - Contemporary landscape painting - Installation art

Claude Monet’s technique evolved over 60 years from tight academic sketches to near-total abstraction, always maintaining the core Impressionist commitment to capturing light and color. His methods - broken brushwork, high-keyed palette, plein air observation, serial repetition - revolutionized painting and opened paths that artists continue to explore.

Personal Life of Claude Monet

Family Relationships

Parents

Monet’s relationship with his parents was complex and often strained, particularly regarding his artistic ambitions.

Claude Adolphe Monet (1800-1871): Monet’s father was a practical businessman who wanted his son to enter commerce. He: - Opposed Claude’s artistic ambitions - Wanted him to join the family grocery business - Provided minimal financial support - Died in 1871, before Monet achieved success

Their relationship was marked by: - Father’s disapproval - Financial pressure - Limited emotional connection - Monet’s rebellion against expectations

Louise Justine Aubrée (1805-1857): Monet was closer to his mother, though she also had conventional expectations: - More sympathetic to his artistic interests - Her death in 1857 affected him deeply - She had been a singer, so understood artistic temperament - Monet painted little about her specifically

Aunt Marie-Jeanne Lecadre

Monet’s aunt was more supportive of his artistic ambitions: - Provided some financial support - Encouraged his art - Her garden at Sainte-Adresse was subject of early paintings - Important influence during his youth

Marriage to Camille Doncieux (1870-1879)

Meeting and Marriage

Monet met Camille Doncieux in 1866 when she was 18 and he was 26. She became his primary model and muse.

Key paintings of Camille: - “The Woman in the Green Dress” (1866) - Salon success - “Women in the Garden” (1866) - Camille modeled for all figures - “On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt” (1868) - Numerous paintings throughout the 1870s

They married on June 28, 1870, just before fleeing to London during the Franco-Prussian War.

Children

Jean Monet (1867-1913): - Born before marriage - Subject of many paintings - Became lawyer - Died relatively young

Michel Monet (1878-1966): - Born during Camille’s illness - Inherited Giverny - Less involved in art - Sold many paintings to survive

Camille’s Illness and Death

Camille’s health declined from about 1876: - Tuberculosis diagnosed - Possibly uterine cancer - Deteriorated rapidly in 1879

Monet’s care for Camille: - Painted little during her final illness - “Camille Monet on Her Deathbed” (1879) - haunting record - Financial struggles compounded by medical expenses

Camille died on September 5, 1879, at age 32. Monet was devastated and painted little for some time afterward.

Relationship with Alice Hoschedé (1878-1911)

The Situation

Alice Hoschedé entered Monet’s life through complex circumstances: - Wife of Ernest Hoschedé, an art collector who had supported Monet - Ernest went bankrupt and abandoned the family - Alice helped care for Monet’s children after Camille’s death - She and Monet lived together from 1878, though both were technically married to others

Combined Family

The household at Giverny included: - Monet’s two sons: Jean and Michel - Alice’s six children from her marriage to Ernest Hoschedé - Total of eight children to care for

Blanche Hoschedé (1865-1947): Alice’s daughter became particularly important: - Became Monet’s assistant - Painted alongside him - Married Monet’s son Jean - Preserved Monet’s legacy

Marriage (1892)

After Ernest Hoschedé’s death in 1891, Monet and Alice married on July 16, 1892. By then they had been together for 14 years and were accepted as a couple.

Alice’s Death (1911)

Alice died in 1911, leaving Monet bereaved again. Her death: - Occurred after years of illness - Deeply affected Monet - Coincided with declining vision - Led to period of reduced productivity

Daily Life and Habits

Routine at Giverny

Monet established a strict routine: - Early morning: Breakfast, then to garden - Painting: Hours in the garden or studio - Lunch: Family meal - Afternoon: Rest, then more painting or gardening - Evening: Dinner, family time, early bed

Gardening as Obsession

Monet was as dedicated to gardening as to painting: - Designed flower beds for color effects - Hired six gardeners - Consulted Japanese gardening books - Experimented with exotic plants - The garden was both artwork and studio

Social Life

Monet was more sociable than legend suggests: - Dinner parties: Hosted artists, writers, politicians - Famous visitors: Clemenceau, Sargent, Rodin, etc. - Travel: Occasional trips (London, Venice, Norway) - Exhibitions: Attended openings in Paris

But he was also: - Protective of his privacy - Focused on work - Could be difficult and demanding

Financial Struggles and Success

Years of Poverty (1860s-1880s)

For decades, Monet lived in precarious financial circumstances: - Constant debt - Moved to avoid creditors - Sold paintings for very little - Depended on advances from Durand-Ruel - Borrowed from friends

Survival strategies: - Durand-Ruel’s support - American collectors (later 1880s) - Ernest Hoschedé’s early patronage - Living cheaply in the country

Financial Success (1890s onward)

By the 1890s, Monet’s situation improved: - Series paintings sold well - American market developed - Higher prices for his work - Able to purchase Giverny property - Financial security achieved

By 1900s: - Wealthy man - Comfortable lifestyle - Multiple servants - No more financial worries

Personal Characteristics

Personality Traits

Positive: - Dedication to art - Generosity to other artists - Hospitality - Love of nature - Sense of humor

Negative: - Could be difficult and demanding - Obsessive about his work - Neglected family at times - Stubborn in his views - Sometimes reclusive

Physical Appearance

Monet was described as: - Full beard (gray in later years) - Piercing eyes - Sturdy build - Dressed simply - Often wore work clothes

Health

Eye problems: - Cataracts from about 1912 - Progressive vision loss - Surgery in 1923 - Recovery affected painting

Other health issues: - Generally healthy despite age - Some depression after Alice’s death - Declined physically in final years

Views and Beliefs

Politics

Monet held generally progressive views: - Sympathetic to left-wing causes - Dreyfusard (supported Dreyfus during affair) - Friends with radicals like Clemenceau - But not politically active

Religion

Monet was not religious: - Atheist or agnostic - Did not attend church - Secular worldview - Nature as spiritual experience

Art Philosophy

Monet’s beliefs about art: - Art should capture perception - Nature is the true subject - Light and color are paramount - Impressionism was about method, not just style - Art should be experienced directly

Friendships

Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929)

The French statesman was Monet’s closest friend in later years: - Met in 1860s - Political and temperamental affinity - Clemenceau championed Impressionism - Encouraged Monet through the Grandes Décorations - Wrote about Monet’s art - At Monet’s deathbed

Gustave Geffroy (1855-1926)

Art critic and friend: - Wrote important early articles on Monet - Defended Impressionism - Lifelong correspondence

Other Artist Friends

• Renoir: Lifelong friendship despite different paths
• Pissarro: Mutual respect and shared political views
• Rodin: Friendship and 1889 joint exhibition
• American artists: Sargent, Whistler, Hassam

Final Years (1918-1926)

Despite declining health and vision, Monet continued working: - Completed Grandes Décorations - Supervised garden - Received honors - Died peacefully at Giverny

His death on December 5, 1926, marked the end of an era in French art. He had outlived all the other major Impressionists and witnessed the triumph of the movement he had helped create.

Assessment

Monet’s personal life was marked by: - Early family opposition to his art - Deep love for Camille and grief at her death - Complex relationship with Alice Hoschedé - Dedication to his work above all - Financial struggles followed by success - Strong friendships, particularly with Clemenceau - Total commitment to his artistic vision

His personal life supported his artistic achievement, providing the stability (eventually) and environment (Giverny) that enabled his greatest work. Despite tragedies and difficulties, he lived to see his artistic vision vindicated and his work celebrated worldwide.

Legacy of Claude Monet

Artistic Legacy

Founder of Impressionism

Monet’s most significant legacy is as co-founder and leader of Impressionism, the movement that transformed painting:

The Impressionist Revolution: - Rejected academic conventions - Painted outdoors (en plein air) - Captured fleeting effects of light - Used broken color and visible brushwork - Made modern life a valid subject - Emphasized the artist’s subjective perception

This revolution opened painting to modernity and established the framework for all subsequent modern art.

The Series Paintings

Monet’s invention of the series painting influenced: - Contemporary artists working in series - Conceptual art (idea of repetition and variation) - Photography (serial approaches) - Installation art (environmental works)

The series demonstrated that art could be about process and perception rather than just final product.

Bridge to Abstraction

The late Water Lilies paintings: - Dissolved recognizable form - Created immersive color environments - Approached total abstraction - Influenced Abstract Expressionism - Preceded Color Field painting

Monet showed that painting could transcend representation to evoke pure sensation.

The Giverny Legacy

The Living Museum

Monet’s home and gardens at Giverny: - Preserved as he designed them - Major tourist destination (500,000+ visitors annually) - Living work of art - Inspiration for subsequent artists - Model for artist-designed environments

The Foundation Claude Monet

Established 1980: - Preserves and maintains Giverny - Promotes knowledge of Monet - Organizes exhibitions and events - Academic research center

Influence on Garden Design

Monet’s garden influenced: - Garden design as art form - Color theory in gardening - Japanese influence in Western gardens - Artist-designed gardens

Influence on Art History

On Impressionism

• Longest-lived Impressionist (died 1926)
• Maintained Impressionist principles longest
• Took Impressionism to its logical conclusions
• Series paintings represented Impressionism’s culmination

On Subsequent Movements

Post-Impressionism: - Seurat’s pointillism developed from Impressionist color theory - Van Gogh intensified Impressionist color and brushwork - Gauguin reacted against Impressionist naturalism - Cézanne structured form out of Impressionist patches

20th Century: - Fauvism intensified Monet’s color - Abstract Expressionism (Pollock, Rothko) descended from late Water Lilies - Color Field painting directly influenced - Minimalism’s serial repetition related to Monet’s series

Contemporary: - Installation art owes debt to Grandes Décorations - Environmental art follows Giverny model - Contemporary landscape painting - Light and space artists

On Art Education

Monet’s work is central to: - Art history curricula - Museum education programs - Color theory instruction - Plein air painting workshops

Cultural Legacy

Popular Appeal

Monet is among the most popular artists in history: - Most visited museum exhibitions - Highest auction prices for Impressionists - Widely reproduced - Recognizable to general public

His appeal rests on: - Beauty of the work - Accessibility (landscape subjects) - Color and light effects - Association with pleasant experiences

Commercial Use

Monet’s images appear on: - Posters and prints - Household goods - Fashion - Digital media - Merchandise of all kinds

This ubiquity both spreads his fame and sometimes trivializes his achievement.

Institutional Legacy

Major Museums

France: - Musée d’Orsay, Paris - Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris (largest collection) - Musée de l’Orangerie (Grandes Décorations) - Musée des Beaux-Arts, various cities

United States: - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - Museum of Modern Art, New York - Art Institute of Chicago - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - National Gallery of Art, Washington

Worldwide: - Every major museum has Monet works - Hermitage, St. Petersburg - National Gallery, London - And hundreds more

Scholarly Study

• Monet is among the most studied artists
• Thousands of books and articles
• Specialized journals
• Conferences and symposia
• Online archives

Contemporary Relevance

Environmental Art

Monet anticipated contemporary environmental concerns: - Giverny as total environment - Nature as subject and context - Sustainable artistic practice - Art integrated with environment

Light and Space

Contemporary artists working with light and perception: - James Turrell - Robert Irwin - Olafur Eliasson - All owe debt to Monet’s investigations

Installation Art

The Grandes Décorations: - Preceded installation art by decades - Environmental immersion - Room-sized art experience - Non-hierarchical composition

Digital Art

Monet’s concerns translate to digital media: - Capturing light and atmosphere - Pixels as equivalent to brushstrokes - Digital color theory - Screen-based immersive experiences

Reputation Through Time

Contemporary Recognition (1870s-1926)

• Initially mocked as “Impressionist”
• Gradual acceptance in 1880s-1890s
• Financial success by 1900s
• Recognized as greatest living French painter
• Honors and awards

Posthumous Reputation (1926-1960s)

• Continued appreciation
• Influence on modern art acknowledged
• Museum acquisitions
• High market prices
• But sometimes overshadowed by Picasso, abstraction

Late 20th Century Revival (1970s-present)

• Major retrospective exhibitions
• Record-breaking auction prices
• Popular culture embrace
• Giverny restoration and opening
• Continued scholarly interest

21st Century Status

• Most popular Impressionist
• Museum blockbuster exhibitions
• Highest prices for Impressionist works
• Ubiquitous in popular culture
• Central to art historical canon

Assessment of Significance

Among Impressionists

Monet is preeminent among the Impressionists: - Longest career - Most consistent commitment to Impressionist principles - Pushed the movement furthest - Greatest influence on subsequent art

In Art History

Monet’s place in the canon: - Revolutionary who opened modern art - Master of color and light - Bridge between 19th and 20th centuries - Among the most influential painters ever

The Ultimate Achievement

Monet’s greatest achievement was transforming painting from a descriptive medium to a means of capturing subjective visual experience. He: - Made perception itself the subject of art - Demonstrated that color and light could be primary subjects - Showed that painting could approach abstraction while remaining representational - Created immersive environments that anticipated installation art - Established the model of the artist creating their own subject (Giverny)

Claude Monet’s legacy is the transformation of how we see and represent the visible world. His paintings teach us to notice light, atmosphere, and color - to see the world as a constantly changing field of visual sensation rather than a collection of fixed objects. This shift in perception, embodied in his luminous canvases, remains his enduring contribution to art and human consciousness.

The Water Lilies at the Orangerie offer perhaps the best summary of his achievement: an environment where viewers are immersed in color, light, and reflection, experiencing directly what Monet spent a lifetime learning to paint - that the world we see is not solid objects but light playing on surfaces, momentary and beautiful, worthy of a lifetime’s attention.