Introduction to the Impressionism Painting Movement
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| Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Study of a Figure Outdoors: Woman with a Parasol facing left Musée d'Orsay |
"In Paris, one is too preoccupied by what one sees and what one hears, however strong one is; what I am doing here has, I think, the merit of not resembling anyone because it is simply the expression of what I myself have experienced."
This is what Claude Monet (1840-1926) wrote to one of his friends. He did not resemble anyone else. That is what the artist Monet was; that is what his paintings displayed, a difference. Not resembling anyone else.
The Impressionism movement in painting marked a pivotal transformation in the art world, emerging in France in the late 19th century. It was characterized by a shift away from traditional academic painting styles, instead focusing on capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere.
Impressionism valued spontaneity, en plein air (outdoor) painting, and the honest observation of nature. The name of the movement itself derives from Claude Monet’s iconic painting Impression, Sunrise (1872), which was mockingly described as merely a sketch or "impression" by critics of the time. Ironically, this criticism gave the movement its name and identity.
The movement arose in response to the rigidity of the French Académie des Beaux-Arts and its emphasis on historical and mythological themes rendered with precise, polished brushwork. Impressionist artists sought to break free from these constraints, developing a more personal and emotive visual language. They emphasized how light affected color and used short, broken brushstrokes to suggest rather than delineate form. This approach created a sense of immediacy and vivacity in their paintings.
Claude Monet, one of the founding fathers of Impressionism, was the quintessential Impressionist in terms of style, subject matter, and philosophy. His paintings emphasized the sensory experience of a scene rather than a detailed narrative. He aimed to depict how a scene was perceived in a fleeting moment, bathed in the shifting qualities of natural light.
Claude Monet: The Heart of Impressionism
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Claude Monet painting in his studio boat Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Monet later studied under Charles Gleyre, where he met other future Impressionists like Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille.
Monet's technique involved painting quickly to capture the changing conditions of light.
He would often return to the same subject at different times of the day and in different seasons to observe how the light altered its appearance. His palette was revolutionary; he abandoned the use of blacks and browns for shadows, instead using complementary colors to create depth and vibrancy.
He often worked on multiple canvases simultaneously, each representing the same subject under different lighting. His brushwork was loose and expressive, and he typically applied color in small strokes or patches, allowing the viewer's eye to blend them optically. This technique gave his paintings a luminous, almost vibrating quality.
Monet was deeply influenced by Japanese art, especially the flat planes and decorative compositions of ukiyo-e prints. He was also inspired by the Barbizon School's naturalism and the Romantic color palette. In turn, Monet influenced generations of artists, from post-Impressionists like Vincent van Gogh to modern abstract painters.
Seven Masterpieces by Claude Monet: Analysis and Present Value
1. Impression, Sunrise (1872)
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Impression, Sunrise Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris |
Monet employed loose brushwork and a restrained color palette dominated by blues and grays, punctuated by the vibrant sun.
The painting's brilliance lies in its ability to evoke a moment of time—the stillness of morning, the softness of mist, and the warmth of early sunlight.
The water's surface is suggested rather than depicted, with dabs of color mimicking the play of light on its ripples. Monet's focus was not the precise details of boats or buildings but the atmosphere they inhabited.
This work was ridiculed at the time for its unfinished look, but today it is celebrated as the manifesto of Impressionism. It is housed in the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris and is considered priceless. However, were it to be sold, experts estimate its value could exceed $250 million, considering its historical significance and rarity.
2. Woman with a Parasol - Madame Monet and Her Son (1875)
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Woman with a Parasol - Madame Monet and Her Son National Gallery of Art, Washington DC |
The composition is dynamic: Camille is seen from a low angle, with her parasol catching the wind, and young Jean stands in the background among wildflowers.
Monet uses short, swirling brushstrokes to convey the wind and movement of grass and fabric.
The sky is a brilliant mixture of whites and blues, its cloud forms echoing the folds of Camille's dress. Light pervades the scene, reflected in the parasol and casting soft shadows.
This painting showcases Monet's mastery in capturing ephemeral effects of light and movement. The work is part of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and is among his most beloved pieces. If hypothetically offered at auction, it would likely fetch upwards of $120 million.
3. The Water Lily Pond (1899)
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons "Water Lily Pond" (1899) by Claude Monet Pola Museum of Art, Hakone, Japan |
In this painting, Monet's Japanese-style wooden footbridge arches gently over a pond teeming with floating lilies. The composition invites the eye to move gently from one form to another.
The palette is lush with greens, purples, and pinks, evoking a tranquil summer day.
Monet paints the water not as a mirror, but as a living surface capturing both reflections and transparency. The brushwork is soft and layered, giving the painting a dreamlike texture.
This work demonstrates Monet's mature style, where structure dissolves into abstraction. It is housed in the National Gallery in London and has inspired countless artists. A similar water lily painting from this series sold for over $80 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2008, suggesting this piece would command a similar or even higher price today.
4. Rouen Cathedral Series (1892–1994)
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Rouen Cathedral, End of the Day Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts |
Monet painted over 30 canvases of Rouen Cathedral under different lighting and weather conditions. The version titled Rouen Cathedral, Façade (Sunset) is among the most celebrated.
In it, the gothic cathedral is transformed into a glowing entity, illuminated by golden and pink light.
He applied color in thick, impasto strokes, layering paint to mimic the play of sunlight on stone. Shadows are not black but composed of purples and blues, while the lit areas dazzle with oranges and yellows. This optical blending invites viewers to step back to see the full effect.
This series was a turning point in Monet’s career, illustrating his deep interest in temporality and perception. Many paintings from this series are in the Musée d’Orsay and private collections. Individual pieces have been valued at over $100 million due to their rarity and innovation.
5. Haystacks Series (1890–1891)
Monet’s Haystacks series explores the interplay of light and form across time. He painted the same haystacks in a field near his home in Giverny during different times of day and seasons. In Grainstack (Sunset), a haystack is bathed in orange light, standing out against a shadowy background.
The brushstrokes are soft yet deliberate, the colors vibrant. Monet captures the lingering warmth of sunset with astonishing delicacy. The haystack, a mundane subject, is elevated to the sublime through his lens. The viewer can feel the temperature, the season, and the fading daylight.
This approach of serial painting allowed Monet to push Impressionist methods to their limits. A haystack painting sold for $110.7 million in 2019 at Sotheby’s, setting a record for Impressionist art.
6. San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk (1908–1912)
Monet painted San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk during his trip to Venice. The painting captures the Venetian church at twilight, bathed in golden-orange light reflected in the shimmering lagoon. The silhouette of the building is softened by the haze of evening.
The brushwork is fluid, the colors melting into one another. Pink, gold, lavender, and blue dominate the canvas. Monet captures the moment just before the sun dips below the horizon, a fleeting mix of light and shadow.
Though he was hesitant to exhibit these late works, they are now revered for their atmospheric depth. This piece is held by a private collector, with its estimated value around $70 million. It represents Monet's ability to translate urban architecture into poetic, almost mystical forms.
7. Houses of Parliament Series (1900–1904)
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Claude Monet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Houses of Parliament, sunset 1902 |
In Houses of Parliament, Sunset, the building becomes a dramatic silhouette against a sky ablaze with color. The Thames reflects the brilliance of the setting sun, its surface dotted with mist.
The palette is bold—magenta, vermilion, cobalt, and ochre—creating a symphony of color.
Monet focused on atmospheric rather than architectural accuracy, capturing the essence of the scene over realism. The result is deeply emotional, evoking both grandeur and melancholy.
This series marks the pinnacle of Monet’s exploration of light. One version was sold in 2022 for nearly $75 million, confirming the enduring appeal of these luminous visions.
Monet's Techniques and Innovations
Claude Monet revolutionized painting with several key techniques:
Plein Air Painting: Painting outdoors to capture natural light and atmosphere.
Broken Color: Using small dabs of pure color placed side by side to let the viewer's eye blend them.
Color over Line: Prioritizing color relationships over detailed drawing.
Series Painting: Painting the same subject under varying conditions to explore the effects of light.
Limited Palette: Often used a reduced number of pigments, relying on optical blending for complexity.
Luminous Layering: Built color in transparent layers to achieve vibrancy.
Monet frequently rejected conventional compositional techniques, instead opting for asymmetrical layouts that felt spontaneous and modern.
Monet's Influence and Enduring Legacy
Claude Monet's profound impact on the art world is undeniable, extending far beyond his contemporaries to influence generations of artists across diverse movements. His revolutionary approach to capturing light and atmosphere served as a foundational inspiration for fellow Impressionists like Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Camille Pissarro, who, in their own unique ways, explored similar themes of fleeting moments and everyday life. Yet, Monet's influence didn't stop there. Later figures such as American Impressionist Childe Hassam clearly drew from Monet's brushwork and dedication to capturing specific atmospheric conditions, particularly in his urban landscapes. Even artists as seemingly disparate as Jackson Pollock, a pioneer of Abstract Expressionism, found inspiration in Monet's radical vision.
Monet's iconic Water Lily panels, particularly those at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, were not merely paintings; they were early precursors to immersive environmental art. Their expansive scale and cyclical nature, depicting the changing light and reflections on the pond at Giverny, deeply resonated with the Abstract Expressionists' desire to create art that enveloped the viewer and evoked powerful emotional responses. The sheer dedication and serial exploration of a single subject in varying conditions in these works provided a blueprint for artists seeking to push the boundaries of traditional easel painting.
Indeed, Giverny was more than just Monet's home; it was his living laboratory, his personal studio where he meticulously cultivated nature to become the subject of his endless painterly experiments. He designed the water garden, planted the flowers, and carefully observed the interplay of light, shadow, and color throughout the day and across the seasons. This direct engagement with his subject, transforming nature into a dynamic and ever-changing muse, allowed him to break free from academic conventions and develop a truly unique visual language. He demonstrated how a deep, sustained observation of the natural world could lead to profound artistic innovation.
Today, Monet's enduring legacy is evident in the global reverence for his work. His masterpieces grace the walls of major museums worldwide, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, drawing millions of visitors annually. Beyond their cultural significance, his paintings consistently fetch record-breaking prices at auctions, underscoring not only their immense emotional and aesthetic value but also their exceptional financial standing in the art market. This sustained demand is a testament to the timeless appeal and universal resonance of an artist who fundamentally transformed how we perceive and portray the world around us.
Conclusion
Claude Monet redefined what painting could be. His bold use of color, innovative techniques, and devotion to natural light helped shape the modern art era. Through his work, Impressionism became a celebration of perception, beauty, and impermanence. His influence spans generations, and his art remains a timeless reminder of how light, when captured with feeling, becomes immortal.
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