There are many hundreds and thousands of talented artists, but there are only several whose name is known to all people around the world. Claude Monet, father of the Impressionism movement, is one of them (Fitzgerald 181).
He started from caricatures in his notebooks and grew into one of the renowned artists, whose talent and ability to see nature in its most astonishing manifestation inspired generations of artists.
Throughout his life, he experimented with various techniques in order to find his vision. With help of Eugen Boudin, his mentor, who taught him techniques of outdoor painting, Claude Monet soon understood that nature is what really captures him and thus he dedicated his life as an artist to celebrating it. It is also interesting to observe how throughout his life changed Monet’s attitude towards objects that he depicted. Despite the fact that he was constantly observed by the play of light, in his early paintings Monet often portrayed human figures against the backdrop of a landscape. Even portraits can be found among his earlier works, including ones of his first wife, who served as inspiration and model for many of his early works, including “Woman in green dress” after which he was finally noticed by the art society in 1866. With her, he had two sons but not enough money to support a troubles living. Unfortunately lost her to a progressing disease in 1879. This became a great tragedy for the artist. However, ironically, this year success and recognition finally came to the artist and he finally emerged out of debt.
Despite his constant lack of money before 1879, Monet traveled a lot around Europe, where he met with famous works of non-French artists, who inspired him – like Turner for example. He also spent over a year in Algeria as a soldier, but eventually was bought out by his wealthy aunt, since he felt miserable there and got typhoid fever.
Towards the 1880s Monet becomes obsessed with nature in its purest form. In paintings of his later life if there are figures in the picture, they usually play a supporting role and fade into the background.
As Claude Monet started gaining enough money to stop constantly thinking about the creditors he dedicated his painting to what he loved the most– nature. Thus, he purchased a house with a land in Giverny, a countryside some 150 kilometers away from Paris, its exhibitions, Salons, and all the limelight. He moved there with his sons and his wife-to-be Alice Hoschede. It is in Giverny where the artist gained peace and a place for reflection. It was unusual for a man of the city to love the village so much. Gradually everyone accustomed and peasants began to respect him, because he did not mind the daily work, but Monet did not need to get used to anything, for he was in the arms of his muse. He was so in love with the place that he made the gardening himself. What once was a kitchen garden became a real feast of color and light, thanks to Monet and his vision of beauty. He inhabited it with various kinds of flowers and plants. Hardly there are many gardens that could beat Monet’s garden in the number of plants species (Wilson).
He was sent a huge catalogue of flower seeds. He flipped through it and ordered everything. Roses, lilies, tulips, gladioli, asters – Monet’s garden is a riot of colors all year round.
The banks of the pond that he fell in love in the first place also got decorated with a large variety of plants. Raspberry, holly Japanese cherry, anemones, peonies and many others. The main attraction is the Japanese bridge that serves as the only manmade embellishment to the garden. And most importantly, Monet ordered seeds of Japan nymphs (water lilies) and adorned the water surface with them This is how the story begins.
Monet was an artist who painted objects, landscapes, anything in series of paintings. That was because he worked only for a limited amount of time during the day – for he created his works in plein-air and lighting was at a needed angle only for a certain period. Thus, he could work over a painting for months, waiting for the right light to return. Sometimes he worked over several paintings at the same time not to lose time while waiting for the perfect moment.
In 1890, Monet had a great desire to paint his favorite place in the roundabouts – the poppy field. He played with the lighting, the colors, and the angle; everything that gave life to the image. As his garden evolved and became more inhabited with plants, trees and flowers, he turned to his pond and the lake as to the subject of his paintings. Ultimately, he became so obsessed with the water scenery that he began to paint not only at different times of the day but also during different seasons – just to see the contrast and to feel the change of atmosphere. Monet started from a traditional for impressionist scenery – the landscape that captures a moment in a day of leisure and eventually turned it into an abstractionism. However, one-step at a time
In the series of Water lilies, we find close-ups and landscapes. There are fragments of several lilies and there are panoramic views of the pond. This did not depend on the period, but probably on the artist’s mood. What is traceable is the change in techniques and artist’s manner to transmit the nature. While Monet’s first paintings of the Water Lilies series have tendencies of realism, his latest work have tendencies for abstract or surreal color scheme.
Let us take one of the first works – “Nympheas”, 1897-1898 that is exhibited in Los Angeles County Museum of Art. What we see is a very close look at the pond. In fact, there is a small spot of water, two lilies and several leafs. However, even this, seemingly uninteresting subject, is mesmerizing. The flowers and the leaves seem very voluminous, as we can almost touch them. The water is dark and so it the painting overall and this brings the plants even more to the forefront. It tells us that the day is sunny from how the flowers shine and how the water glares at the top of the image. The lilies are the focal point and the only bright spot, thus making the whole painting about the flowers. The technique is traditionally impressionist – with separate thick brushstrokes.
Monet took his work very seriously. Plein-air meant that he had to capture the passing moment in its fullest. Working of the Water Lilies series, he often swam in a boat, taking a closer look at certain elements of the pond.
Going few years further, to 1904. There is a stunning painting called “Le Bassin des Nympheas” in Denver Art Museum. This is a completely different painting. It captures a large piece of the pond. There is still no sky in the image (as there will not be in any painting of the series – it is shown only as a reflection in the water), but the horizon is outlined by the lush greenery that grows around the pond. The ability to paint without perspective was suggested to Monet by traditional Japanese painting that was popular in Europe at the time. The use of colors is very broad. There are literally hundreds different shades of green and the color scheme of lilies could make the rainbow jealous. The water is still deep, but this time it is shown not through the darkness of the water but through the reflections in it. The painting is divided horizontally by the islands of lilies, and vertically – by the greenery and its reflection in the pond. The main themes of the painting are not only flowers but also the glory of nature and the light of the day. Use of thick brushstrokes is very well felt, so the painting is better viewed from a distance.
Monet first showed his series of water lilies in 1909 during an exhibition in Paris. However, even after that he has not stopped painting water lilies, wanting to find newer ways to portray his beloved garden, going further and further away from traditional impressionism – creating larger canvas, focusing on the smaller details. The whole series of water lilies was created from 1897 to 1919 and consists of 250 paintings.
Taking us few years further “Nympheas”, 1915 in the Neue Pinakotek in Munich. What strikes at first is an odd color scheme. Almost everything in the picture, including leafs is blue. However, we feel how bright is the day and how joyful is the artist. Blue does not feel sad. It feels light. There are only few flowers in the image, making the color the protagonist of the work. The painting is a crisscross of horizontal and vertical lines as well. What is even more interesting is that the horizontal part of the image is blue and the vertical – is green.
Starting from 1908 Monet’s eyesight starts to fail him as his cataract progressed. By 1911, he almost lost vision in his right eyes. Moreover, by 1922 he the artist became almost blind in two eyes, which led to an inevitable operation, which was a breakthrough for the time. All these transformations are, of course, seen in artist’s works. At one point Monet’s eyesight became so poor that he had to rely on the names of the paints that he was using. Even thought by the end of his life, Claude Monet could only see bits of objects and even those were in bluish and yellowish tones, his thirst for painting and willpower made him proceed his work.
This brings us to a painting “Water Lilies”, 1922 in Toledo Museum of Art. The painting is performed in a more abstract manner. Thought strokes remain true to impressionism; a certain sloppiness of performance indicates traces of eye disease. In the painting, it is hard to say what kind of weather it is. White shiny lilies and clear spaces in the water show the sunny side of the day, but the deep somber green bush in the pond may be hinting that it is about to rain. The whole image is a little controversial in this matter. In addition, the mix of horizontal and vertical lines, a method that Monet likes to use, is very blurry in the picture. This work is different from the others; it is less clear and less lively.
I find that the ultimate creation of the series is the “Japanese bridge over the lily pond”, 1899 that is exhibited in the National Museum of Art (National Museum of Art). It is the quintessence of impressionism and Monet’s vision. It shows a bright sunny day, a leisure’s moment. The nature is gorgeous and lush and vibrant. The lilies spark with a multitude of colors. The horizon is outlines with the banks of the pond and the Japanese bridge that is the focal point of the image. The bridge indicates a man’s presence in the picture but in a silent, candid manner. The use of horizontal and vertical lines is at its glory in this work. The picture is read from right to left, when you wait for someone to cross the bridge and it somehow creates a sense of movement in the image (The Japanese Bridge). There is much more to be written about this art piece, but I think that it simply sums up all the efforts that Claude Monet put into the series. It is the triumph of impressionism.
Looking at the series of Water Lilies as a whole, one cannot help but notice the inevitable change that the decreasing eyesight of the artist brought to it. It would be wrong to say that the unusual use of colors and vision of the landscape made the paintings worse; it simply added additional intrigue to the works. Although it is clear that in the beginning of the series colors were brighter and the nature was lighter and the image overall was clearer. What unites the series is that by slightly exaggerating the small details and giving his creation the necessary amount of warmth, Monet created his own wonderful world of “Water lilies” (Monet’s years). On it, we can witness a pond usually veiled with a light rippling that bathes in sunrays, overgrown with weeds and often surrounded by lush greenery. On the surface of the waterlilies are settled in colonies, shining on the sun like pearls.
One way or another, Monet left an army of followers and even more people who adore his works throughout time.
Many American and world artists were influenced by impressionism. As Paris was considered an art capital of the world, many young talents came to see the works of the greatest and, if lucky, even work with some of the masters. Monet and his fellow impressionists could be easily found outside in the parks, gardens or by the seaside. This made it easier for stranger artists to make friendships with Salon stars of the time. To name a few: Sargent, Edmund C Tarbell, Childe Hassam (Hamilton).
They say that none of the 20th century movements would not have been possible without impressionism and it fresh look at the art of painting. Monet, in particular, as the nominal father of the movement gave way to fauvism and abstractionism. He will be regarded in the future among the greatest landscape artists” for his persistence and dedication that made him famous in the first place (Fitzgerald 195.)
Works Cited
Hamilton, Adrian. “American Impressionism: An exhibition shows how Monet and Degas
influenced a generation of artists”. Independent. 31 August 2014. Web.
“Monet’s years at Giverny: beyond impressionism”. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1978. Web.
Fitzgerald, Desmond. “Claude Monet: Master of Impressionism”. Brush and Pencil 15.3
(1905): 181–195. Web.
“The Japanese Footbridge”. National Gallery of Art. Web.
Wilson, Matthew. “How gardens have influenced artists from Monet to Matisse”. The Financial
Times. 12 February 2016. Web.
