Claude Monet

Dob: Nov 14, 1840 (Paris, France) - December 5, 1926 (Giverny, France)

Family Life: His father Adolphe Monet was a Grocer, while his Mother Louise-Justine Aubrée Monet died January 28, 1857, in Le Havre France while Monet was only 16yrs old. He had only one sibling, an older brother Leon Pascal Monet. (Chemist) He had a wife Camille-Léonie Doncieux, who is shown in some of Monets paintings. In his later life he had two sons, Jean, and Michel Monet.

Job/Education: In April 1851, Monet joined the Le Havre secondary school of the arts. He first became popular in his community for his charcoal caricatures, which he would end up selling. Additionally, Monet had his first sketching lessons from Jacques-François Ochard, a former Jacques-Louis David student. He met his mentor Eugène Boudin in 1857 who taught him how to use oil paints.

Culture and Where he grew up: He was a French painter who spent most of his life in Normandy and Giverny. During 1845, his family moved to Le Havre in Normandy. Monet moved to Giverny with his second wife Alice Hoschedé in 1883.

Links: https://www.claudemonetgallery.org/biography.html#:~:text=Claude%20Monet%20also%20known%20as,as%20applied%20to%20plein%2Dair

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claude-Monet

https://www.notablebiographies.com/Ma-Mo/Monet-Claude.html

Where you can find his work: You can find some of his work in Musée d'Orsay, Musée de l'Orangerie, and Musée Marmottan Monet. All three in Paris and one in Giverny called Monet's Gardens.

Art Worth: Some of his work has been at auctions selling from 5USD to 110,747,000USD. One of his most expensive pieces sold for 80.5million USD. His famous water lilies sell for 43.3million USD. So, the price depends on the size and artwork.

Links: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Articles-lVK6nXLexz7U-Monet_paintings_paris.html

https://www.tiqets.com/blog/monet-in-paris/

Seine + Epte River: In 1878 the Monet family moved to Vétheuil, a little village in Seine. Monet built a boathouse so that he could explore his environment in search of suitable motifs by boat. He fell in love with the rivers Seine and Epte. So they became a major focus in his works in the late 1800s.

Mediterranean Landscapes + Atlantic Coastal Scenes: In December 1883 Monet went with French Impressionist artist, Auguste Renoir on a trip to the Mediterranean. Monet was so fascinated by its beauty that he returned in 1884 so that he could paint more of the scenery. He was quickly filled with love with the light and warm colours of the Mediterranean and can be quoted as saying “I am living in a wonderland. I do not know which way to turn: everything is superb and I want to do everything. It is terribly difficult, you need a palette made of diamonds and precious stones. As for blue and pink, there is no shortage here.” Claude Monet, 1884

He was also inspired by London, Water Lilies, and Poplar Trees. Some of his most popular art being these themes.

Links: https://www.theswissfreis.com/5-notable-art-influences-claude-monet-early-20th-century/

1. The Impressionist movement, which revolutionised French painting in the second part of the nineteenth century, was led by Claude Monet. Monet continuously painted the scenery and pastimes of Paris and its surroundings, as well as the Normandy coast, during the course of his long career. By creating a distinctive style that sought to depict on canvas the actual act of seeing nature, he paved the path for twentieth-century modernism.

2. In his final years, Monet also developed a greater appreciation for the aesthetic value of form and colour. The possibilities of a beautiful paint surface with colour harmonies and contrasts were explored when he started to apply paint in tiny strokes, building it up in large fields of colour. He movedtowards abstraction and a modern painting that only involvedsurface effectsespecially in the series paintings of the 1890s.

Links: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cmon/hd_cmon.htm#:~:text=Claude%20Monet%20was%20a%20key,well%20as%20the%20Normandy%20coast.

1. Claude Monet struggled with depression and attempted suicide by drowning in the seine river.

2. His art started to change to match what he saw before struggling with nuclear cataracts.

3. He used to destroy his own artwork. About 500 to be exact.

4. He was drafted in the military and spent a year in Algeria.

5. He was inspired by Japanese art.

6. His favorite model was his first wife Camille, who was in 30 of his paintings.

Links: https://www.artandobject.com/news/claude-monets-life-and-works-10-surprising-facts

https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/21-facts-about-claude-monet

1. As a viewer I interpret some of Monets' messages he shows throughout his art, as a form of his appreciation for his surroundings. For example, when he lived in France, he would paint the scenery around him so I took that as him. Trying to show the beauty of the country too many of his consumers for his art.

2. I think the elements he uses such as stippling and layering in his art are very effective. I think it really shows the whole scenery while adding a unique factor to the painting. For example, he shows how the light reflects over nature.

3. He as influenced social contexts as he has made the art form of impressionist popular, and made it popular during his time.

4. Claude Monet inspired me, as I don't think I've ever seen an artist paint with his style. I really wanted to try painting like him because his art looks really challenging.