Claude Monet

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Claude Monet (14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter and a founding member of the Impressionist movement, which was named after his painting Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant). Monet's approach to art, particularly his focus on light and color, was a major departure from the traditional landscape painting techniques of the time.

Early Life

Claude Monet was born in Paris, France, but spent most of his childhood in Le Havre, a port town in the Normandy region. His early interest in art was evident; he gained local fame as a caricaturist by the age of fifteen. However, after meeting Eugène Boudin, a landscape painter who introduced him to outdoor painting, Monet's artistic direction took a pivotal turn towards landscapes.

Career and Development of Impressionism

In the late 1860s, Monet, along with his friends and fellow artists Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille, developed the painting style that would later be called Impressionism. This movement was characterized by a focus on light, color, and the immediate impression of a scene, often painted en plein air (outdoors). The term "Impressionism" itself comes from Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise, which was showcased in the 1874 exhibition of the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers. The exhibition was mocked by critics, but the artists embraced the term, and it soon became synonymous with their revolutionary approach to art.

Key Works

Monet's oeuvre is vast and includes several series of paintings where he explored the effects of light and atmosphere on landscapes and objects. Some of his most famous series include:

• The Haystacks series, exploring the effects of light on the same subject at different times of day and seasons.
• The Water Lilies series, painted in his own garden in Giverny, which became an obsession for Monet in his later years. These paintings are celebrated for their abstract qualities and innovative use of color.
• The Rouen Cathedral series, showcasing the facade of the cathedral at different times of day and in various weather conditions, highlighting Monet's interest in the changing effects of light.

Later Years and Legacy

Monet spent his last years in Giverny, focusing on his water lily pond and garden, which served as the subject of his most famous paintings. Despite suffering from cataracts in his later years, Monet continued to paint, producing some of his most vibrant works during this period.

Claude Monet died on 5 December 1926, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly influenced the course of modern art. His approach to painting, focusing on the sensory effects of the landscape rather than the details, paved the way for future movements such as Abstract Impressionism.

Monet's work remains immensely popular, with his paintings fetching some of the highest prices in the art market and being featured in major museums around the world.