Claude Monet
Analysis of Selected Works by Claude Monet
Claude Oscar Monet, the famous impressionist painter was born on November 14, 1840. Even though his birthplace was Paris, he grew up in Le Havre, a port town located in North Western France. In his childhood phase, he didn’t have any contact with anyone who would play a significant role as an artistic influence in Monet’s life. Monet’s parents were completely against the arts, and because of that, he had to deal with a lot of sacrifices in life, from earning a meager salary, to having a constrained relationship with his parents. Monet developed a liking to his future source of income, and most importantly, his passion for art in most amusing manner. During his schooldays, he used to loathe spending time in the classes, and to keep himself occupied, he drew caricatures of his teachers. Surprisingly, he got noticed through his drawings, and commenced his career in art by working at a framing store.
Monet had already painted the same subject in different moods. However, as he matured as a painter, his depictions of atmospheric influences were increasingly concerned not only with specific effects, but with overall color harmonies that allowed for an autonomous use of rich color. So as to return to a painting at the correct moment, "on occasion Monet took the precaution of writing the time of day on the back of his canvases for the Early Mornings on the Seine series, he chose to paint at and before dawn, which made it 'an easier subject and simpler lighting than usual ', because at this time of day the effects did not change so rapidly; however, this involved him getting up at 3:30 a.m., which seems to have been unprecedented even for so inveterate an early riser as Monet."(House,143)
Thus, it can be said that the ‘The Houses of Parliament’ painting is considerably devoid of realistic detail due to being painted from the perspective of an impressionist, although one needs to scratch the surface to realize it’s true depth.
Claude Oscar Monet, the famous impressionist painter was born on November 14, 1840. Even though his birthplace was Paris, he grew up in Le Havre, a port town located in North Western France. In his childhood phase, he didn’t have any contact with anyone who would play a significant role as an artistic influence in Monet’s life. Monet’s parents were completely against the arts, and because of that, he had to deal with a lot of sacrifices in life, from earning a meager salary, to having a constrained relationship with his parents. Monet developed a liking to his future source of income, and most importantly, his passion for art in most amusing manner. During his schooldays, he used to loathe spending time in the classes, and to keep himself occupied, he drew caricatures of his teachers. Surprisingly, he got noticed through his drawings, and commenced his career in art by working at a framing store.
Monet had already painted the same subject in different moods. However, as he matured as a painter, his depictions of atmospheric influences were increasingly concerned not only with specific effects, but with overall color harmonies that allowed for an autonomous use of rich color. So as to return to a painting at the correct moment, "on occasion Monet took the precaution of writing the time of day on the back of his canvases for the Early Mornings on the Seine series, he chose to paint at and before dawn, which made it 'an easier subject and simpler lighting than usual ', because at this time of day the effects did not change so rapidly; however, this involved him getting up at 3:30 a.m., which seems to have been unprecedented even for so inveterate an early riser as Monet."(House,143)
Thus, it can be said that the ‘The Houses of Parliament’ painting is considerably devoid of realistic detail due to being painted from the perspective of an impressionist, although one needs to scratch the surface to realize it’s true depth.
References: House, John. Monet: Nature into Art. N.p.: Yale University Press, 1986. Print. 10/10/2012. Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York, NY, 10/10/2012. Painting-analysis. ""Water Lilies" by Claude Monet: A Beauty at a Different Light." Web log post. Painting Analysis & Interpretations. N.p., 20 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. . Seitz, William C. Claude Monet. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1960, 10/10/2012.