Claude Monet: The Quintessential Impressionist
Claude Monet (1840–1926) was the driving force and most consistent practitioner of the Impressionist style. His painting, Impression, Sunrise, exhibited in 1874, gave the entire movement its name. Monet was dedicated to capturing the immediate, fleeting moment of light and atmosphere, prioritizing sensation over detailed accuracy throughout his long career.
Early Career and Foundation
Monet was born in Paris but grew up in Le Havre, where he first met the painter Eugène Boudin, who introduced him to the idea of painting outdoors, or en plein air. Monet’s early commitment to working outdoors, directly in front of his subject, became the cornerstone of Impressionism. He believed that the only important element in painting was the instantaneous visual impression created by light and color.
Style and Method
Monet's technique was all about speed and spontaneity to capture the transient effects of nature.
Broken Color and Brushwork: He applied paint using quick, distinct dabs and slashes of color, often avoiding mixing colors on the palette. He relied on the viewer's eye to optically blend the pure colors on the canvas, creating unparalleled vibrancy and luminosity.
The Series Paintings: Monet’s most famous artistic method was painting the same subject multiple times under different lighting conditions. His famous series include:
Haystacks (1890–1891): Painted at different times of day and through different seasons.
Rouen Cathedral (1892–1894): Depicting the facade in varying atmospheric conditions.
Water Lilies (1899–1926): His magnum opus, painted in his garden in Giverny, which dominated the last three decades of his life and pushed him towards abstraction.
Monet's unrelenting focus on light and color makes him the quintessential Impressionist and one of the most beloved figures in art history.
