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Claude Monet

Impression: Sunrise by Claude Monet

            When great artists come to mind, some of the first names that pop in to people’s minds include Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and Leonardo Da Vinci.  Claude Monet is an artist that is in the same class as these artists and just as well known as them.  He painted countless works in his lifetime, including the “Haystacks” painting, the “Rouen Cathedral” painting, and “Water Lilies” painting.  Monet painted about his own experiences and visions.  In her article, “Claude Monet (1840-1926),” Laura Auricchio writes about how Monet was a fundamental figure in the Impressionist movement of the late 1800s, and led the way into the modernism movement of the twentieth-century.

            Claude Monet was born in 1840 in Normandy, France.  According to Auricchio, Monet was first introduced to plein-air painting by Eugene Boudin, an artist known for painting resorts along the Channel Coast of that region.  He then begin to study with Dutch landscapist Johan Jongkind.   In 1862, Monet joined Charles Gleyre’s studio in Paris along with Auguste Renoir, Frederic Bazille, and other future Impressionists.  Although he had some success in his early years with his paintings, the majority of his paintings were rejected. 

This rejection caused Monet to join an independent exhibition in 1874 with other painters such as Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Camille Pisarro, and Renoir.  One of his contributions to this exhibition was “Impression: Sunrise” which drew a lot of criticism because of its unconventional style. The artists took pride in this criticism, and nickname themselves “Impressionists” after the painting’s title.  Critic Louis Leroy accused it of being just a sketch or “impression” because of its unfinished look. This painting had techniques such has short, broken brushstrokes barely conveying forms, pure unblended colors, and an emphasis on the effects of light.  One of the key techniques that Monet and the rest of the Impressionists used was using lots of shadows, with highlights of color added in.  This casual style eventually became accepted as the new way to depict modern life. 

In addition to using bright, vibrant colors like no one had done before, Monet was leader of the Impressionists in the painting a common subject of suburban and rural leisure outside of Paris.  Monet’s painting style complemented the rural pastimes that he displayed in his paintings.  Boating and bathing establishments that thrived in these areas became some of the impressionists favorite themes. The landscapes that he painted were modernized with his use of color and light effects.  He further accentuated the modernization of the landscape by painting railroads and factories in some of his paintings symbolizing the increasing industrialization.

Through his unique style and innovative creations, Claude Monet was the leader in the Impressionist movement.  His countless works inspired many of his colleagues and other painters to modernize their paintings.  Through new techniques and new technology, these impressionists formed a whole new way of creating art.  Claude Monet will always be known for his paintings, but more significantly for his lead role in the Impressionist movement and his modernization of art.

Works Cited

Auricchio, Laura. "Claude Monet (1840–1926)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.

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