Oscar Claude Monet is a great impressionist who painted pictures all his life. The artist is the founder and theorist French impressionism, which I followed throughout creative path. Monet's painting style in impressionism is considered classic. It is characterized by separate strokes of pure color, creating a richness of light when transmitting the air environment. In his paintings, the artist sought to convey a momentary impression of what was happening.
Childhood and youth
Claude Monet was born in Paris on February 14, 1840. When he was 5 years old, the family moved to Normandy, to Le Havre. At school, the boy did not differ in anything special, except for his ability to draw. His parents owned a grocery store, which they hoped to pass on to their son. Contrary to his father's hopes, Claude and early age was drawn to painting, drew caricatures and never thought about becoming a grocer.
Portrait of Claude Monet. Artist Auguste Renoir
At a local salon, the popular caricatures drawn by Claude were sold for 20 francs. The young man’s acquaintance with the landscape painter Eugene Boudin, a lover of plein air, also contributed to his hobby. The artist showed the aspiring painter the basic techniques of painting from life. His aunt, who took care of the young man after the death of his mother, also helped defend his right to choose a profession.
Classes with Boudin revealed to the future artist his true calling - to paint nature from life. In 1859, Claude went home to Paris. Here he works in a studio for poor artists, visiting exhibitions and galleries. The army prevented the development of talent. In 1861, Monies were called for military service into the cavalry troops and sent to Algeria.
Of the seven required years in service, he will spend two years, as he falls ill with typhus. 3 thousand francs, which his aunt paid to buy his nephew out of military service, also helped him return home. Having recovered from his illness, Monet entered the university's Faculty of Arts, but quickly became disillusioned. He doesn't like the approach to painting that prevailed there.
The beginning of creativity
The desire to learn leads him to the studio organized by Charles Gleyre. Here he meets Alfred Sisley and Frederic Basil. At the Academy he met Pissarro and. The young artists were the same age and had similar views on art. They soon became the backbone that united the Impressionists.
The portrait of Camille Doncier, created by the artist in 1866 and exhibited in the salon, made him famous. His first serious work was the painting “Lunch on the Grass” (1865-1866), painted by him after the work of the same name by Edouard Manet. Claude's version was four times larger in size. The composition of the picture is quite simple - a group of elegant women and men is located in a clearing near the forest.
The value of the painting is in the feeling of air movement, enhanced by textured strokes. It was not included in the exhibition because the artist did not have time to finish painting the large canvas. Financially strapped, Claude had to sell the painting in order to forget about hunger and not borrow from friends. Instead, the artist exhibited “The Lady in Green” (portrait of K. Donsier).
The next two-meter canvas, “Woman in the Garden,” was painted entirely en plein air. To catch the right lighting, the artist dug a trench that allowed him to move the canvas up and down. I had to wait a long time for the right lighting, and only then take up the brush. Despite his desire to achieve perfection, the salon jury rejected the work.
Impressionism
The new direction in painting, called “impressionism,” was a revolution in painting. To feel the immediacy of what is happening and to convey it on canvas is the task that the impressionists set themselves. Claude Monet was a prominent representative and founder of this trend. He was a plein air artist, conveying the natural, momentary beauty of the surrounding space.
In the summer of 1869, in company with Renoir, he went to the open air in Bougeville. In his new paintings, painted with large impasto strokes, he abandons mixed shades. He paints in pure color and makes many discoveries for himself regarding painting techniques, the characteristics of chiaroscuro, the influence of surrounding shades on the color, etc. This is how impressionism appeared and developed - an innovative direction in fine arts.
Painting by Claude Monet “The Buildings of Parliament. Sunlight in the fog" With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Claude Monet, trying to evade the army, goes to England. He did not support Napoleon III and was his staunch opponent. In England he meets Paul Durand-Ruel, a painting seller. They will become good friends and partners. Paul will buy from the artist most of the paintings from this period of his work.
The money from the sale allowed him to purchase a house in his homeland, in Argenteuil, where he lived for several happy years until 1878. During this period, the artist works fruitfully, creating his paintings, including famous work Claude Monet "Impression. Sunrise". The title of this masterpiece expresses the essence of impressionism and was used by critics to define a new direction in painting. "Sunrise" was exhibited in 1974 in Paris.
Monet devotes a lot of time to serial compositions: he depicts views of London, Rouen Cathedral, Haystacks, poppies and other landscapes. In an impressionistic manner, he conveys unequal illumination depending on the weather, time of day and year, using a different tonality of the palette for each state. It is difficult to find words to describe the paintings of the great impressionist; they need to be felt and understood.
Life in Giverny
Having saved up some money, Monet entrusts financial affairs to E. Gosheda. The bankruptcy of a businessman forces the families to pool their capital and move to the village of Veteil. Here in his biography there are tragic events associated with the death of his wife, and then his son. In 1883, the Monet family moved to the village of Giverny, located on the picturesque banks of the Seine. At this time, his paintings were selling well, he accumulated a good fortune, part of which he spent on expanding his garden.
It is known that famous artist He was also a gardener who created his garden over the course of 43 years. He found satisfaction not only in growing plants and contemplating the results of his labors. IN recent years During his life, Monet went out with an easel into his luxurious garden and painted a lot. A great worker and “slave of his craft,” as he called himself, tried to achieve perfection in transferring the beauty of the surrounding nature to canvas.
During this period, the artist masters a new technique. Paints several paintings at the same time. In this way he tries to capture the changing lighting. A painting session on one painting could last half an hour, then he moved on to another in order to capture and convey another momentary impression. For example, a series of his paintings depicting Cape Antibes are presented in morning, afternoon, autumn, summer and spring lighting.
Personal life
The artist’s first wife was Camille Doncier, who posed for him for “Lady in Green” and other paintings. She gave birth to two sons 11 years apart. After the death of his beloved wife, who was also his constant model, the artist began a relationship with Alisa Goshede. They will officially become husband and wife after the death of her husband Ernest. Alice died in 1911, and three years later his eldest son Jean passed away.
Claude Monet and Alice Goschedet in Piazza San Marco in Venice The work of Claude Monet is among the TOP 3 most expensive painters. The average price of paintings is $7.799 million. The most expensive of them (“Water Lilies”, (1905) is estimated at $43 million. The works are kept in museums around the world. Russia, Great Britain and the USA are considered the major owners of the artist’s heritage.
Death
The artist lived long life, underwent two operations to remove cataracts, after which his color perception changed. He began to see ultraviolet in purple or blue. This can be seen in his paintings painted after the operation. An example of such work is “Water Lilies”. During this period, he spends most of his time in the garden, creating on his canvases mysterious world water and plants. His famous series of recent panels features a variety of ponds with water lilies and other aquatic plants.
The artist died in Giverny on December 5, 1926 from lung cancer at the age of 86, having outlived many people dear to him. At his insistence, the farewell ceremony was simple and uncrowded. 50 people came to say goodbye to the artist. Monet was buried in the church cemetery.
The most famous paintings
- "Women in the Garden" (1866)
- "Terrace at Sainte-Adresse" (1867)
- "The Thames Below Westminster (Westminster Bridge)" (1871)
- "Impression: Rising sun"(1872)
- "Field of poppies near Argenteuil" (1873)
- "Boulevard des Capucines" (1873)
- "Walk to the Cliff at Pourville" (1882)
- "Lady with an Umbrella" (1886)
- "Rouen Cathedral: Main Entrance to the Sun" (1894)
- “Water Lilies” (“Nymphaeas”) (1916)
The most expensive paintings
- “Water Lilies”, (1905) – $43 million.
- “Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” (1873) - $41 million.
- "Water Lilies" (1904) - $36 million.
- "Waterloo Bridge. Cloudy" (1904) - $35 million.
- “Path to the Pond” (1900) - $32 million.
- “Water Lily Pond” (1917) - $24 million.
- "Poplars" (1891) - $22 million.
- “Parliament building. Sunlight in the Fog (1904) - $20 million.
- "Parliament, Sunset" (1904) - $14 million.
Oscar Claude Monet was born in Paris on November 14, 1840, but at the age of 5 he moved to Le Havre, where his father worked as a grocer and ship supplier. Monet's talent first appeared in adolescence. It all started with caricatures of prominent residents of Le Havre. Prominent townspeople liked their own humorous portraits. The drawings were sold at a local art salon for 20 francs each.
The same salon sold paintings by local artist Eugene Boudin. He was a passionate lover of plein air, which was unusual in those days. The young man also became interested in working under open air. He began painting en plein air because it gave his works a sense of immediacy, and he was interested in natural light.
The number of orders increased, and soon Monet began to earn so much money that he came up with the idea of becoming a real landscape artist, one who would have the skill and talent to capture the iridescent, changing views around him.
However, serious difficulties had to be overcome first. The path to success in the art world ran through an exhibition of works in the famous Parisian salon - the most prestigious art exhibition in the world. Everything was controlled by the Academy of Painting and Culture, founded in 1795 by a group of Freemasons. To get there, you had to pass an exam, which was assessed by academy professors. These same people selected works for the Paris salon. Having achieved success in the salon, the artist, on the recommendation of academicians, received a prestigious state order. After completing several serious orders, a person became a member of the academy and received the right to teach. Thus the old process was repeated. The Impressionists opposed this. In Paris there are many art studios, whose goal is to get rid of salon dominance. In 1873 they opened their alternative exhibition.
"Impression. Sunrise" 1873
The painting depicts a foggy sunrise in the harbour. Against the background of clouds in a dense haze there is a bright orange sun, the boats do not have clear outlines.
The audience, however, was unable to understand either the performance technique or the chosen range of colors. The picture was regarded not as revolutionary, but as ridiculous. Viewers wondered why the author exhibited an unfinished work. The critic Louis Leroy used the word "impressionists" in a pejorative sense. So he unintentionally gave the name to the whole direction. By the time of the eighth exhibition in 1886, the term had become generally accepted.
"Bridge at Argenteuil" 1874
The painting “Bridge at Argenteuil” dates back to 1974. It depicts one of the suburbs of Paris, where Monet lived for a short time. Suburban living developed not only because of the high cost of living in the city, but also because of the culture of the time. People came here to escape the tension and bustle of Paris to unwind. This picture shows how exciting this place was. Monet painted outdoors, plein air. This is the pinnacle of the development of impressionism. The artist does not seek to show a specific vessel. The color of the picture is very rich. The artist uses colors that are difficult to see in academic landscapes; they are usually muted and mixed. Here the colors are light, bright and match in the foreground and background. This smoothing technique looked quite radical in the 1870s. Free, seemingly careless brush strokes reveal the similarity of the painting with a sketch and give it a certain incompleteness.
Gare Saint-Lazare 1877
Monet lived in one of the suburbs of Paris, Argenteuil. This picture became a vivid reflection of everything new and modern, industry, but it was very radical for that time. Everyone is accustomed to images of water lilies and rural landscapes in Monet's works. The image of a coal-fired locomotive was bold. However, even before Monet settled in Argenteuil and painted landscapes, he sometimes depicted details of modern life.
The composition of the painting is not too different from landscapes in the traditional style. The image is extremely flat, focusing on the surface and the paint. The locomotive enters the station through huge iron structures. The steam above him envelops the locomotive, this iron mask, and this is what Monet is all about, his desire to concentrate on the play of light and color.
Monet, unlike academic artists, does not think about creating a certain angle, a line of perspective, or about conveying the integrity of the subject. The objects do not have clear outlines, the models are almost abstract.
"Walk to the Cliff at Pourville" 1882
The action takes place on seaside resort in northwestern France. Two women walk in nature. The artist gives a sense of spontaneity that is felt in the brush strokes. Through the image of a cliff, he conveys the mood have a great day. The cliff is in deep shadow, which creates a sharp contrast. The painting seems spontaneous, but it was carefully thought out and planned. The painting consists of several layers of paint. Monet applies new layers of paint to the previous ones that have not yet dried.
The characters in the film enjoy a refreshing walk along the cliffs. It opens before them picturesque landscape: cliffs, sea, sky with floating clouds. This picture shows modern world through the eyes of a person belonging to the middle layer, who captured a period of free time.
Cycle "Rouen Cathedral" 1890s.
The structure is located an hour north of Paris. Monet painted 30 paintings with his image. From late winter to early spring for two years in 1892 and 1893, Monet rented a studio located directly opposite the cathedral and was able to convey various light effects. He painted several paintings at once and in each he conveyed different moments depending on the time of day and lighting. The artist returned to the canvases he began in new weather. Upon returning to Paris, he completed the paintings in his studio. They are massive, there are thick layers of paint on them, Monet took a long time to paint them. He was always interested in capturing the moment, but in these works it becomes the main theme. Medieval Cathedral had a religious historical significance. His image is characterized by massiveness and strength, but in Monet’s version these are filigree forms, there is no feeling of heavy three-dimensionality.
Oscar Claude Monet (1840 -1926) - one of the most prominent representatives of French (and therefore world) impressionism, co-founder and theorist this direction, remained faithful to him until the end of his life. Monet's painting style, which later became classic for impressionism, was characterized by writing in separate strokes of pure color, which made it possible to create rich light effects and convey the features of the light-air environment.
BIOGRAPHY OF CLAUDE MONET
Claude Oscar Monet was born on February 14, 1840 in Paris. When the boy was five years old, the family went to Normandy, to Le Havre. Contrary to his father's desire to become a grocer, Claude had a passion for painting from a young age and enjoyed drawing caricatures. On the sunny beaches of France, Claude Monet met Eugene Boudin, famous landscape painter and one of the forerunners of impressionism. Boudin showed young Monet some techniques painting work from nature. In 1860, Claude Monet was called up for military service and left for Algeria, but he served a little less than two years of the required seven-year sentence: he fell ill with typhus, which helped the artist demobilize.
Monet entered the university at the Faculty of Arts, but was disappointed in the approach to painting present there. After leaving educational institution, he entered the painting studio organized by Charles Gleyre. There he makes acquaintances with Renoir, Frédéric Bazille and Alfred Sisley. They were practically peers, held similar views on painting and became the basis of the impressionist artists. At the Académie Suisse, Claude Monet met Pissarro and Cézanne. Claude Monet’s work in Bougival, where he created the La Grenouillere pub together with Auguste Renoir, played a significant role in the work of Claude Monet. The paintings created by these artists marked the birth of a new artistic direction— impressionism.
WORK OF CLAUDE MONET
In 1866, Claude Monet created a portrait of Camille Doncieux. Camille later became the artist’s wife, and they had a son, Jean.
The first significant work for Claude Monet was “Luncheon on the Grass” (1865-1866), which he wrote after the painting of the same name by Edouard Manet. The work itself has not reached us: the artist paid it off as a debt for living in the village of Chailly, in the vicinity of which he worked. The plot of the picture is simple: on the edge of a green forest, several men are seated and elegantly dressed women. The feeling of air movement is enhanced by the texture of the canvas: it is no longer smooth, but consists of individual spots and strokes. Having completed “Luncheon on the Grass,” Claude improves the method he discovered in a variety of sketches, which he creates in the “Splash Pool,” a favorite vacation spot for Parisians of that period. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), Monet lived in London, where he met Durand-Ruel. In England he became acquainted with the works of John Constable and William Turner.
Portrait of Camille Doncieux Breakfast on the grass Paddling pool
The return from England will mark one of the most fruitful periods of Claude Monet's work. He paints his best paintings - “Field of poppies near Argenteuil”, “Boulevard des Capucines”, “Lilacs in the Sun”, “Impression”. Sunrise". In 1874, these paintings were shown at an exhibition at the Anonymous Society of Painters, Artists and Engravers, organized and directed by Claude Monet. After this exhibition, by the way, named after Monet’s painting “Impression. Sunrise”, the artists were given the nickname “Impressionists” (from the French impression - impression). These were the golden years of the heyday of impressionism. Monet participated in many exhibitions. However, the works of Claude Monet are practically not sold. Driven by poverty, occasionally surviving on sold paintings, Claude Monet lives where his wallet allows: in Argenteuil, Veteil, Poissy, and the rest of his life in Giverny.
In the works of that period, the perception of the integrity of what is happening around momentary events is clearly visible.
Having settled in Argenteuil, Claude Monet painted with passion the Seine, its surroundings, bridges, and sailboats. Ultimately, he builds a boat and sails in it to Rouen, and there, terribly amazed by what he sees, he depicts in sketches the outskirts of the city and those entering the harbor sea vessels(“Argenteuil”, “Sailing Boat in Argenteuil”). In 1877, a series of paintings appeared from the brush of Claude Monet (they depict the Saint-Lazare train station), which marked new stage in the work of the great artist: the transition from the general concept of the sketch to an analytical approach to what is depicted (“Gare Saint-Lazare”).
Argenteuil Sailing boat in Argenteuil Gare Saint-Lazare
The change in the artist’s painting style is accompanied by changes in his life. His wife Camilla becomes seriously ill. With the birth of a second child, the poverty in which the family lives increases.
In 1879, his first wife Camilla dies of tuberculosis. In 1892, Claude Monet married Alice Hoschede for the second time. Previously, before this, Alice managed the house and raised the children from Claude’s first marriage. In 1883, Claude Monet and his wife moved to Giverny, located near Paris. Alice died in 1911, but Claude Monet also had to endure the death of his eldest son Jean in 1914.
In the late 80s, his art increasingly attracted public and critics. Recognition brings material success. Soon, Claude Monet's financial affairs improved so much that he was able to buy a house in Giverny, where he lived until the end of his days. During this period, the artist was entirely focused on working on a series of landscapes, in which he placed the finest light effects “at the edge of the corner.” He begins to treat color differently, and the subjects of his paintings change. All Monet’s attention is focused on the expressiveness of the amazing color range of the brushstroke, in isolation from the subject matter. The desire for decorativeness is intensifying, which ultimately resulted in the creation of panel paintings. Simple subject paintings of the 1860-1870s are replaced by more complex ones, rich in all kinds of associative connections (“Rocks at Belle-Ile”, “Poplars”).
Irises in Giverny Weeping willows White water lilies
Claude Monet is interested in serial compositions: Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, views of London. In them, following the impressionistic style, Claude Monet conveys the unequal degree of illumination of objects in different weather conditions, at different times of the day and night, using a surprisingly diverse tonality of the palette. Series of paintings allow you to create a variety of decorative compositions, as if developing in time and space thanks to the associative connections that arise. In Giverny, Claude Monet spends the lion's share of his time in the garden, working on it. art organization. This fantastic work led to a change everyday world, inhabited by living people, on a mysterious, fantasy world water and aquatic plants (“Irises at Giverny”, “Weeping Willows”). Therefore, it is no coincidence that the most famous series of his latest panels depicts views of various ponds with water lilies floating in them (“White Water Lilies”).
The term “impressionism” appeared thanks to Monet’s painting “Impression. Rising Sun", which was exhibited at the first major exhibition of the Impressionists, in the studio of the photographer Nadar in the spring of 1874, and called the "Rebel Exhibition". In total, the exhibition featured 165 works by thirty artists. It is worth noting that at that time the still lifes and landscapes of Monet and his associates were accused of rebellion, immorality and failure. Castigating the exhibition, the little-known journalist Louis Leroy, in his article in the magazine Le Charivari, disparagingly called the artists “impressionists.” Out of challenge, the artists accepted this epithet. Over time, it lost its original negative meaning.
It is interesting that the best work of impressionism in painting is also considered to be a painting by Claude Monet. And this despite the fact that by the time the artist began to paint the famous “Water Lilies,” he was already losing his sight.
If you look closely at the women in Claude Monet’s paintings, there will definitely be Camille Domcuse, his favorite model and wife. She posed for him for many paintings, including such famous ones as “Lady in Green”, “Women in the Garden”, “Madame Monet with her Son”, “Portrait of Claude Monet’s Wife on the Sofa”. Madame Monet gave birth to two sons to the artist (the first-born even before the official marriage). However, the birth of her second baby weakened her health, and soon after her second birth she died. Claude Monet painted a posthumous portrait of his wife.
The painting “Pond with Water Lilies” or, as this canvas is also called, “Pond with Water Lilies,” painted by Monet in 1919, is the most expensive painting by this master. In 2008, at Christie's auction in London, this painting was sold for fabulous money - $80 million. Today, “Pond with Water Lilies” ranks ninth in the ranking of the most expensive paintings in the world sold at auction. It is unknown who acquired this painting and where it is now. As a rule, private collectors, when purchasing such works, prefer to remain anonymous.
Famous quotes by Claude Monet:
- Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary, when you just need to love.
- Anyone who claims to have finished a canvas is terribly arrogant.
- My work is always better when I am alone and follow my own impressions. Color is my daily obsession, joy and suffering.
- My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.
- To draw the sea really well, you have to look at it every hour, every day in the same place so that you can understand how you should work in that particular place, and that's why I work on the same subjects over and over again. over and over again, four or even six times.
- Try to forget about what you see in front of you, a tree, a house, a field, whatever. Just think that in this place there is a small blue square, there is an elongated pink figure, and continue until you have a naive impression of the picture that is in front of your eyes.
- I only think about my painting, and if I had to give it up, I think I would go crazy.
Claude Monet is in the top 3 most dear artists peace
Claude Monet, according to the results of open auctions, until 2013 occupied third place in the ranking of the most expensive artists in the world. A total of 208 of his works were sold at auction for a total amount of $1,622.200 million. The average cost of one Monet painting is $7.799 million. The most expensive paintings by Monet are considered to be:
- "Water Lilies" (1905) - $43 million.
- “Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” (1873) - $41 million.
- "Water Lilies" (1904) - $36 million.
- "Waterloo Bridge. Cloudy" (1904) - $35 million.
- "Path to the Pond" (1900) - $32 million.
- “Water Lily Pond” (1917) – $24 million.
- “Polars” (1891) - $22 million.
- “Parliament building. Sunlight in the Fog (1904) - $20 million.
- "Parliament, Sunset" (1904) - $14 million.
Today, the artist’s works are “scattered” all over the world. The largest countries that own Monet's paintings are Russia, the USA and Great Britain. However, you can find the artist’s paintings in many other museums, both in Europe and beyond. Several paintings by Claude Monet are even in museums in New Zealand. A significant part of the artist’s works belongs to private collections, therefore these paintings are closed to the general public. Only sometimes works that were once acquired are returned from the hands of collectors to museums or end up at auctions.
In Russia at the Pushkin Museum. A.S. Pushkin there are such famous paintings, like “Lilacs in the Sun” 1873 and “Breakfast on the Grass” 1866. The painting “Parliament, Fog Effect” is in St. Petersburg in the Hermitage. Several works by Claude Monet are kept in Paris at the Musée d'Orsay. Many works are also located in the USA, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and also at the Museum of Art located in Philadelphia. In London, Monet's paintings are exhibited at the National Gallery.
Claude Monet's paintings have repeatedly become objects of desire for criminals. It is a known fact that the thief of Monet’s painting “The Beach at Pourville,” which was exhibited in National Museum Poland, laughed at the employees by cutting out the famous masterpiece from the frame, and instead inserted an inferior reproduction. The substitution was noticed on September 19, but exactly when the theft occurred remains unknown. The criminal turned out to be a 41-year-old man, and the stolen painting was found in his house.
In October 2012, the Rotterdam Kunstel Museum was robbed. 7 masterpieces were stolen, among which was the famous “Waterloo Bridge” by Claude Monet. This robbery turned out to be the largest in the last 20 years. After an investigation, experts suspect that the stolen paintings could have been burned.
Beach at Purville Waterloo Bridge Poppy field
Claude Monet was born 173 years ago, his paintings are still at the crest of popularity today, and particularly ardent and talented fans of impressionism dedicate their creations to him. An example of this is the installation “Poppy Field” by Claude Cormier, inspired by the paintings of Claude Monet.
A crater on Mercury is named after Monet.
English writer Eve Figes in her novel “Light” describes one day in the life of Claude Monet - from dawn to dusk.
The restaurant featured in the TV series “Kitchen” is called “Claude Monet” - this is the operating restaurant in Moscow “Champagne Life”.
In the film Titanic (1997) we can also see Monet's painting "Water Lilies".
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- I. K. Monet // Album. - L., 1969.
- Georgievskaya E. B. K. Monet // Album - 2nd ed. - M., 1974.
- Bohemian K. G. K. Monet. - M., 1984.
- Rewald J. History of impressionism. - M., 1994.
- Kulakov V. A. Claude Monet [Album]. - M., 1989.
- Thailandier I. Claude Monet [Album]. - M., 1995.
- Works: Letters, trans. from French // preface and approx. N.V. Yavorskaya, in the book: Masters of Art about Art, vol. 5, book. 1. - M., 1969.
- Reutersvärd O. Claude Monet, [trans. with Swedish] - M., 1965.
- Hoschedé J.P. Claude Monet, se mal connu, v. 1-2, Gen., 1960.
- Forge A. Monet. Chicago, 1995.
- Wildenstein D. Claude Monet.Claude Monet. Koeln: 2007. Tashen GmbH.
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Claude Monet is one of the famous and popular artists in the history of world art. This painter is the founder and prominent representative of a new movement at the beginning of the 20th century - impressionism. Today, every educated person and art lover understands and understands Monet’s paintings, with their names and their brief description we have to meet.
Born in Paris in 1840, Claude Monet moved to Normandy 5 years later. Since childhood, the young man showed a passion for drawing, but chose the genre of caricature.
At the age of 17, Monet met Eugene Boudin, who taught him art landscape sketches. Before meeting him, drawing from life, seascapes Claude Monet did not consider them worthwhile and even treated them with contempt. 1859 – year of return young artist home, to Paris. There he continued to paint in the workshop of poor artists.
The turning point in the fate and work of Monet is considered to be his admission to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Paris. There he met O. Renoir, A. Sisley and F. Basil - talented young artists, with whom he was destined to change the history of world painting.
How did the “Impressionism” movement appear?
Claude Monet is gradually trying to change the traditional way of drawing from life, using either new lighting solutions, or changing the viewing angle and position of the artist when painting. Preferring plein air to studio work, he seeks beauty in the world around him, trying to capture the moment and his perception of what he sees.
One of the main differences between emerging impressionism is new job with shadow and color. Monet chose the coloristic content of the paintings that he sees and feels at a certain point in time. Painting the shadows light, and not black, like his predecessors, he filled inner light your canvases.
Constant poverty and need in the 70s and 80s and the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War forced him to move to England. Here Monet meets the dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who buys his paintings. This made it possible to purchase a small house in Argenteuil upon returning home.
The official starting point of the “Impressionism” movement is considered to be 1874, when with a light hand one of the critics dubbed the picture “impression, impression” - impressionnisme. In 1883, Claude Monet moved with his family to Giverny, where with the money he had saved, he could already afford to buy a house with land and a garden. In the same small village he was destined to end his earthly journey in 1926.
Monet had vision problems from a young age, and in 1912 he even had the lens of one eye removed. It is believed that this disease contributed to the artist's natural talent for seeing and reflecting unusual colors and shades in nature.
Monet's popularity today cannot be overestimated: to this day he is one of the three most expensive artists in the world.
- One of the most famous and early works Claude Monet's painting "Women in the Garden", created in 1866. To paint it, he dug a trench in order to better choose the angle, set up the easel correctly and stand up himself. The plot of the picture is simple: four young ladies are walking through a summer garden, picking flowers and having a pleasant conversation. One of them, the young model Camille Doncier, later became Monet’s wife.
- 1866 was also the time when the painting “Lady with an Umbrella Turning to the Left” was painted. The subject of the image was a young girl, Monet's adopted daughter Suzanne. The artist looks at the model from bottom to top, capturing, in addition to the girl’s figure, grass and flowers close up and a big piece of sky. One of the main characters of the picture is the wind, which controls the movement of objects, creating a feeling of energy and movement of the plot.
- The painting “Water Lilies” from 1905, after its purchase by an unknown art lover, was hidden from prying eyes for more than 70 years. It depicts a pond, lilies in it and clouds reflected in the surface of the water. It is believed that the artist copied this plot from a pond in Giverny. This painting was destined to become the most expensive at London auction: it was valued at $54 million.
- Mannport (1883) is now in New York, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The subject of this painting is the cliffs of Normandy. Monet often traveled to this country, creating more than 60 paintings about its powerful and harsh nature.
- The painting "Lady with an Umbrella" (1886) depicts Monet's wife Camille Doncier. The canvas is classified as early period creativity: the lines are blurry and imprecise, the main emphasis is on the colors and feelings of the artist himself.
- The famous painting that gave its name to the entire movement of “impressionism” - “Impression. Sunrise” rarely leaves anyone indifferent. Port of Le Havre, early morning, boats on the surface of the water, barely visible in the morning fog, gloomy and dark colors with a contrasting background bright sun– the painting was created to revolutionize the idea of the technique and purpose of painting. However, the first viewers reacted coolly to the innovation and did not appreciate it hidden power and prospects.
- Interesting, from the point of view of creating a plot, is the painting “Breakfast on the Grass” from 1866. The style of the canvas itself is not characteristic of Monet’s impressionistic style of painting. This is a picture of transition, of finding oneself. The ideological inspirer was Edouard Manet (do not confuse these various works art), who created a painting of the same name several years earlier. It caused a strong reaction and scandal because of the realistic depictions of naked women. Claude Monet was delighted with this painting. He decided to repeat the success of this painting and shock the audience. On at the moment what we see in the picture is one of three parts of a huge canvas, which remained unfinished, although it was exhibited at the Paris Salon.
- “Water Lilies” of 1916 is a continuation of the theme of water and water lines in Monet’s work and part of a series of water landscapes. It has an interesting compositional solution: the plot seems to have been snatched from a huge, endless picture. The artist cut large central flowers to show the infinity of natural space. Thanks to bright colors and an unusual composition, a seemingly ordinary pond fascinates the viewer.
- “Terrace at Sainte-Adresse” is one of the artist’s early creations, created in 1867. The painting depicts a summer terrace with men sitting in armchairs and a girl standing at the railing with her companion. Strict lines, lack of blur and compositional solutions are not characteristic of the impressionist style.
- “Field of poppies near Argenteuil” 1873. The heroes of the picture are the artist’s son and wife. They make their way through tall grass and bright red poppies. In the background, two more figures are visible, as well as a small White House in the distance.
Art critics have come to the conclusion that in the last years of his life the artist went beyond impressionism, anticipating further changes in painting and outlining prospects. Having entered the history of world painting and having gained many supporters and followers, Monet’s paintings, the names and brief descriptions of which we have read, remain not only in the memory of viewers, but also in their hearts, evoking real ones and a certain longing for the passing and momentary beauty of this world.
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“Monet is just an eye, but, my God, what a one!” Paul Cezanne
November 14, 1840 Oscar Claude Monet, a French painter and one of the founders of impressionism, was born in Paris. His famous water lilies, poppy fields, the Parliament building are among the most expensive and revered paintings in the world.
Monet is remembered in world history primarily as a revolutionary in art. He was the first to develop new technique letters, was the first to use the new theory of color, and was the first to depict an object several times under different lighting and weather conditions.
Painting “Impression. Sunrise" became the starting point for the work of all impressionists.
However, like most innovators, the artist’s life was not easy. Even in adulthood, he began to have problems with his vision, and by the end of his life he was completely blind due to double cataracts. But the legacy that Claude Monet left behind is considered the real heritage of all humanity and is scattered throughout the most the best museums and galleries of the world.
On this day the editorial office website I decided to tell you about the history of creation best paintings the artist and gives his most famous quotes.
Terrace at Sainte-Adresse, 1867
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
One of Monet's early masterpieces, this painting is not only of artistic value, but also of biographical value. It was written at a time when the artist, suffering from lack of money, was forced to leave Paris and return to his father’s house. The two figures sitting in the chairs are Monet's father and probably his aunt. The artist’s cousin stands in front of them with an unknown person. During this period, Monet still strived for a strict construction of the painting: it is clearly written, carefully verified in composition and bears little resemblance to the soft, blurry tones of the works of a later period.
Houses of Parliament in London, 1904
Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Claude Monet painted a series of paintings of the Palace of Westminster, the building of the British Parliament, during his stay in London from 1900 to 1905. The paintings have the same size and point of view - Monet's window at St. Thomas's Hospital overlooking the Thames. They are, however, colored at different times of the day and under different natural circumstances. During this period, he abandoned his early working practice of completing paintings on site in front of the object.
Field of poppies near Argenteuil, 1873
Musee d'Orsay, Paris
The painting was painted when Monet lived in a small town near Paris - Argenteuil. A beautiful garden and a small house - everything the artist could only dream of. The painting shows Monet's wife and son. Wanting to convey a sense of movement, Monet added a second pair of figures at the top of the hill. They are connected to the figures in the foreground by a barely noticeable path running through the grass. It seems that the figures of a woman and a boy seem to grow straight out of the field.
Breakfast on the grass, 1866
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
In 1865, Claude Monet was working near Paris on big picture"Breakfast on the grass." The finished canvas did not satisfy the artist, and he left for Paris, leaving it as collateral for the owner of the house in Chailly. Upon his return, Monet found the canvas badly damaged by dampness and, saving the painting, cut it into three parts. Then he finally decided to paint a picture on this topic, and, being in Chailly again in 1866, he created a smaller version of the large composition.
Lady with an Umbrella Turning Left, 1866
Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Claude Monet was called the “man of the sun” because of the bright light that characterizes most of his landscapes. The model for “Lady” was Suzanne Goschede, who became adopted daughter Monet after he married her mother. “The Lady” is distinguished by its striking pose, distinct image, and energetic style of writing. In a word, this is real Monet at his best.
Women in the Garden, 1866
Despite the fact that “Women in the Garden” is one of the largest paintings ever painted by the Impressionists (its dimensions are 255x201 cm), Monet worked on it in the open air, for which he had to dig a ditch in the garden and raise or lower the canvas using the collar. The model for all four female figures was his future wife, Camilla.
Mannport, 1883
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The impressive chalk cliffs near Etretat, on the Normandy coast, have attracted artists since the 18th century. Monet visited here every year from 1883 to 1886 and painted more than 60 paintings here, six of which depict the same view of the largest arch, known as the Mannport.
Water lilies, 1916
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
From about 1905 until the end of his days, Monet concentrated entirely on water lilies. These are paintings in which water lily cups literally materialize on the surface of water that does not have a horizon line. In fact, these series of paintings, like any brilliant work of art, defy explanation. These are the works of a poet who has a keen sense of nature and is able to convey its beauty in his painting.