Claude Monet
The repetition of the motif allows us to explore the change in the visible.
Key ideas
In the series of haystacks, Rouen Cathedral and Water Garden, Monet addressed lighting conditions, atmosphere and time. One motif does not remain a constant: color relationships make each view a new experience. Late water lilies weaken the usual separation of depth and surface.
Looking deeper
The paintings were not necessarily completed in one session before the motif. Plein air work could continue in the studio. Don't substitute the myth of instant impression for analysis: compare the organization of strokes and the differences within a particular series.
Series “Haystacks”, “Rouen Cathedral”, “Water Lilies”.
Find the work in the museum's official catalog and start with a description of the visible details.Choose two versions of the motif and describe the changes without using the words “more beautiful” and “worse.”
External educational material or museum catalogue. The above review is not a literal translation of the source.