Oscar-Claude Monet (November 1840- December 1926), is most famous for being the founder of impressionist painting, was a French painter born in Paris, France. Monet is often referred to as the father of modernism, with his painting style being a significant influence on many other painters.
Claude Monet was a consistent impressionist throughout his career; he sought to paint nature the way he perceived it. ‘Impressionism’ itself was coined from his famous paintings, Impression, Soleil levant. He led a band of artists who viewed themselves as outcasts at the time; however, he would later become much more accepted and celebrated as a painter for most of his career.
When we check Claude Monet’s famous paintings, one striking feature was his love for nature, particularly flowers. In the latter part of his life and career, Monet dedicated himself to painting the water lilies in his garden, time and again (this kept him continuously occupied for the last 20 years). Read on to see some of his best works with flowers.
Monet Flower Paintings
Claude Monet, in truth, made invaluable contributions and impact on impressionist art and his favorite muses were flowers. For every artistic journey this famous made, flowers followed him every step of the way; he always sought to incorporate them.
Claude Monet has been famously quoted to have said, “I must have flowers always, and always and always.” It seemed the artist had an obsession with flowers; he also sought to inspire himself to paint nature by surrounding himself with the right environment that encouraged him to paint flowers, like his garden at Giverny.
Monet methodically created the garden of his dreams, after which he began to paint it. He took inspiration from the Japanese gardens he saw in prints. He also added a Japanese bridge to his garden in his quest to recreate what he had seen. Claude Monet was seen painting the same scenes repeatedly in different lights to capture its essence.
Some of Claude Monet artworks that captured flowers in their essence include The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, Water Lilies, Irises, Woman in the Garden, Agapanthus, etc. As we read on, we will analyze some of his most famous flower paintings in some form of detail to give insight into how Monet perceived these beauties of nature.
Water Lilies
The Water Lily Pond Aka Japanese Bridge – Claude Monet
Art experts frequently regard Claude Monet’s Impressionist paintings of water lilies (nymphéas) painted over the last thirty years of his life to be his best work. They demonstrate his exceptional Plein-air painting ability and his sense of color and understanding of light.
Monet painted the gardens around the house repeatedly between 1897 and his death in 1926. In fact, he produced more than 250 oil paintings of his lily ponds and his Japanese bridge, executed in different sunlight and at other times of the day.
Red Water Lilies – Claude Monet
Monet’s attempt to depict the continuously shifting natural light and color dissolves all spatial signals. These late water lily paintings blend Impressionism and Expressionism in almost equal proportion, bordering on abstract art. Monet creates a tranquil meditation within a blossoming, aquatic surround as he mingles water and sky. After World War II, practitioners of American Expressionism, especially Jackson Pollock, focused on painting as a surface covered with paint (1912-56).
Flowers In a Vase
Vase Of Flowers – Claude Monet
Claude Monet finished his still-life Flower in a Vase in 1888 while still retaining the normal color perception of a healthy individual. The canvas is crafted in the master’s signature style. The sketching of minor portions alternates with large strokes.
There are thin branches and many buds in the composition’s core. One can also see the flowers that are delicate and fragile. He picked up a glass vase with a narrow neck from beneath him. The background is subdued, with gray-blue as the primary hue. The canvas, however, does not appear drab due to the contrast.
The painting can reveal the keen eye for color, light, and detail that stylistically accompanies Monet art.
Agapanthus
It’s part of a series of Water Lily paintings by Claude Monet. They’re based on his observations of the natural world. Usually, they were in his garden.
Monet had a lot of Agapanthus in his garden, which is a native plant to Africa. Because it concentrates less on shapes and more on abstraction and processes, this piece is a fantastic example of modernism. There are few apparent shapes in the picture, but many colors stick out.
Also, because everything is abstract, it isn’t easy to discern what the artwork depicts. The colors used in the artwork help the audience in interpreting the painting’s attractiveness. It can be deduced from the colors that it is about nature. While flowers are connected with lighter colors, the various green tones project grass and plant stems. The brown sections represent the earth. This appears to be a garden or meadow in the image.
Irises
Yellow Irises With Pink Cloud – Claude Monet
Thick brushstrokes were used to paint the enormous painting on the brilliant ground. Cobalt blue, cobalt violet, viridian, cadmium yellow, and cadmium orange are among the colors used by Monet in his late period palette.
We notice opulent irises. These were no flowers but rather the open sea, which entices with its depth. Transitions in blue are stunning. The artist does not register the data on purpose. These bold brushstrokes show the emotion of his work, surprising with their distinctive relief. Irises are both physical and beautiful.
His palette is bright and natural. He perceives even the tiniest color nuances and reveals each color’s depth. No coincidence that only a few iris blossoms are spelled out. For the artist, we mean the entire environment, as seen through his eyes. The visitor sees the painting through Monet’s eyes and can see his soul’s innermost secrets.
The Garden Aka Irises – Claude Monet
Monet sought to capture the fleeting impression that this magnificent picture of blooming irises made on him. It slips away, so keeping it on canvas is very difficult. This is only a true master.
The Bottom Line
It is very worthy to note Claude Monet had a thing for flowers and painting them. Some individuals have speculated that it might have been because they reminded him of his beautiful wife; one thing is, however inevitable, he ensured to make them masterpieces. You can check out Claude Monet’s painting works and learn more about Monet’s artwork on our blogposts.