Artworks by Claude Monet from 1861 to 1874

During his time as an art student in Paris, Claude Monet honed the essential techniques required for any ambitious painter aiming to secure a spot at the prestigious annual Salon. This government-backed event was the sole platform for contemporary art to gain recognition. Exhibiting at the Salon allowed emerging artists to establish their reputation, garner media attention, and captivate potential collectors.

However, the Salon's selection committee adhered to rigid and often outdated criteria, posing a challenge for innovative young artists seeking exposure. Monet first showcased his talent at the Salon in 1865, where his pieces highlighted his prowess as a marine painter, skillfully capturing the movement of waves, the dynamic sky, and the mesmerizing play of light on water.

Monet's Art Collection

Monet also embraced another groundbreaking trend in the Paris art scene. In pieces like Dejeuner sur l'herbe (1866) and Women at the Garden at Ville d'Avray (1866-1867), he depicted his friends in stylish clothing, reveling in the outdoor pleasures of Paris. Painting en plein air enabled Monet to study the transient effects of light. He employed a vibrant palette, often using pure, unmixed colors straight from the tube, as seen in the striking reds, radiant blues, and cool greens of Garden at Sainte-Adresse (1867). His quest to capture diverse atmospheric conditions drove him to paint outdoors in all weather, and in The Magpie (1868), he masterfully portrayed the delicate tonal shifts of winter light on snow.

His ultimate challenge was to convey what he termed "instantaneity"—the fleeting appearance of light on a surface at a specific moment. To achieve this, he developed a rapid, skillful, and spontaneous technique, relying on color rather than lines and shadows to define forms.

Whether depicting his wife and son in their garden, the misty fog over the River Thames, or boats gently floating on the Seine, Monet's art was solely inspired by the sensations of nature.

Proceed to the next page to view Corner of the Studio, a still life where Monet reveals the tools of his artistic craft.

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Corner of the Studio by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Corner of the Studio in 1861. Monet relocated to Paris in 1859 to pursue painting. Dissatisfied with the strictness of traditional education, he joined the Academie Suisse, a flexible studio where students could manage their own time, work with live models, and freely share ideas.

Although Monet preferred painting outdoors, he also ventured into traditional themes, as seen in this still life that showcases typical studio objects.

For his subsequent piece, Monet ventured back outdoors to capture the serene street scene featured on the next page.

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Rue de la Bavolle, Honfleur by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Rue de la Bavolle, Honfleur in 1864. Honfleur, a charming coastal town, was a favorite spot among marine artists. Monet visited the town with fellow French painter Frederic Bazille in May 1864, and together they painted along the shoreline, on the cliffs, and in the surrounding countryside.

Monet stayed in Honfleur after Bazille went back to Paris. During the autumn, he produced two versions of the village street, capturing the dynamic interplay of light and shadow under the fading autumn sun.

For Monet, depicting the subtle nuances of natural light was a central focus of his work, as evident in Dejeuner sur l'herbe, featured on the following page.

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Dejeuner sur l'herbe by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Dejeuner sur l'herbe in 1866. Monet's vision of depicting a landscape with modern-dressed figures enjoying a picnic in a beech forest was too ambitious to execute outdoors.

He produced a series of outdoor studies to authentically capture the natural environment, finishing the final piece in his studio. The result was bold, employing the grand scale typically reserved for historical paintings to portray a contemporary scene illuminated by natural light.

Determined to avoid the limitations of indoor large-scale painting, Monet devised an intricate pulley system to create outdoor masterpieces, as seen in the work on the following page.

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Women at the Garden at Ville d'Avray by Claude Monet

Claude Monet finished Women at the Garden at Ville d'Avray in 1867. Committed to creating large-scale outdoor works, Monet excavated a trench and employed a pulley system to manage this massive canvas, depicting four women in a garden bathed in sunlight.

The play of light creating patterns on the women's stylish dresses conveyed a sophisticated elegance, leading French journalist Emile Zola to praise Monet for his precise observation of modern life. Camille, Monet's companion, modeled for the three figures on the left.

In his next piece, Monet not only depicted another stunning outdoor setting but also captured the essence of movement in Garden at Sainte-Adresse, featured on the following page.

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Garden at Sainte-Adresse by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Garden at Sainte-Adresse in 1867. Set in the seaside town of Sainte-Adresse, this painting depicts Monet's family members enjoying a leisurely moment on a terrace. The true focus, however, is on movement and vibrant color, highlighted by the fluttering flags and the striking hues of geraniums and gladioli against the lush greenery and bright blue sky.

Despite Monet's intention to showcase the work at the upcoming Salon, it was declined. It remained unseen until the fourth Impressionist exhibition over ten years later.

Proceed to the next page to discover Monet's On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt, a piece featuring his wife, Camille.

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On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt in 1868. Through his bold use of color, Monet transforms a simple scene—his wife, Camille, gazing across the Seine at Bennecourt—into a testament to his groundbreaking artistic vision.

Using swatches of blue, ocher, and pink, Monet conveys the scene not through defined shapes or precise locations but through the transient qualities of light and reflection.

Explore Monet's striking winter scene, The Magpie, in the following section.

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The Magpie by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created The Magpie in 1868. During December 1868, Monet and his family were living in Etretat, a coastal town in Normandy. He refused to let the winter weather restrict his work to the studio, expressing a preference for the countryside during the colder months.

The delicate shifts of shadows on snow offered a unique challenge compared to the sunlit grass and blue waters. To address this, Monet replaced his usual vibrant palette with a cooler spectrum of whites, greys, and violets.

Proceed to the next page to discover Claude Monet's The Red Kerchief: Portrait of Mrs. Monet, a piece showcasing his wife, Camille.

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The Red Kerchief: Portrait of Mrs. Monet by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created The Red Kerchief: Portrait of Mrs. Monet between 1868 and 1878. The house in Argenteuil served as a retreat for Monet, offering respite from the competitive and turbulent Parisian art scene.

With renewed enthusiasm, he focused on subjects like his wife and son, providing a glimpse into the joy he found in his personal life. The portrait of Camille, glimpsed through a window in her stylish red cape, evokes a fleeting moment, shielded from the winter cold.

On the next page, explore Monet's La Grenouillere, a depiction of a floating cafe.

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La Grenouillere by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created La Grenouillere in 1869. This floating cafe, situated on a raft connected to the Ile de Croissy on the Seine, was a popular spot for boaters. Monet painted this scene alongside his friend Pierre-Auguste Renoir. While Renoir focused on the lively activities of the visitors, Monet was captivated by the shimmering light dancing on the water.

On the following page, explore Monet's Landscape Near Zaandam, another example of the artist's marine-themed works.

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Landscape Near Zaandam by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Landscape Near Zaandam in 1871. Monet postponed his return to France to take his family on a trip to Holland, where they spent an extended period in Zaandam. Similar to Amsterdam, Zaandam was a city filled with canals and shipyards, offering fresh inspiration for Monet's love of marine art.

Captivated by the expansive views, calm skies, still waters, and the reflections of riverside houses, Monet felt his temporary home provided endless subjects to explore for a lifetime.

Proceed to the next page to continue exploring Monet's nautical themes with Regatta at Argenteuil.

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Regatta at Argenteuil by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Regatta at Argenteuil in 1872. After a short time in Paris, Monet relocated his family to Argenteuil, a peaceful and picturesque town on the Seine's right bank, easily accessible by train and a favored spot for weekend getaways. During his first summer there, Monet focused on a familiar theme: sailboats gliding under the bright summer sun.

Proceed to the next page to explore Monet's Impression Sunrise (1872).

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Impression Sunrise (1872) by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Impression Sunrise in 1872. When asked why he titled the work Impression, which became a focal point of the first Impressionist exhibition, Monet explained that he aimed to capture his personal impression of a vivid red sun piercing through the misty harbor of Le Havre, rather than a literal depiction of the scene.

Just as this painting named the movement, Monet's technique epitomized Impressionism, reflecting the artist's pursuit of capturing nature's fleeting moments. Continue to the next page to discover Jean Monet on His Hobby Horse, a casual portrait of Monet's young son.

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Jean Monet on His Hobby Horse by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Jean Monet on His Hobby Horse in 1872. Jean (1867-1913), Monet and Camille's first son, was born in 1867. The young boy featured in several of Monet's works during their early years in Argenteuil. Rather than a formal portrait, Monet captured a tender moment of Jean's childhood, showing him playing on his favorite toy in the family's garden.

Gain insight into Monet's environment on the next page—discover The Artist's House at Argenteuil.

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The Artist's House at Argenteuil by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created The Artist's House at Argenteuil in 1873. In his new home with his family, Monet embraced a lifelong passion. At the rented house in Argenteuil, he nurtured his first garden.

During his second summer there, he began capturing his family in this personal setting, with Jean playing with his hoop on the terrace among the blue and white planters from Holland, and Camille, dressed in blue, peeking out the door. On the next page, explore more of Argenteuil in Monet's Bridge at Argenteuil.

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Bridge at Argenteuil by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created Bridge at Argenteuil in 1874. The original road bridge in Argenteuil was destroyed during the Franco-Prussian War and replaced with a modern structure made of cast iron, limestone rubble, and concrete, symbolizing the village's transformation alongside the railway.

While Monet regretted the industrial and population changes in Argenteuil, he did not shy away from depicting the modern elements in his art, embracing them as reflections of the era and the region. In the final section, explore Monet's The Studio Boat, a glimpse into the artist's floating studio.

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The Studio Boat by Claude Monet

Claude Monet created The Studio Boat in 1874. Shortly after settling in Argenteuil, Monet purchased a boat and transformed it into a floating studio. He anchored it near his home, using it to gain a unique perspective of the riverbank from the water. As depicted here, he also painted the boat from the shore to analyze the interplay of shadows and reflections from a distance.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Debra N. Mancoff is an art historian, lecturer, and author of several books on 19th-century European and American art, including Publication International, Ltd.'s, Impressionism and Van Gogh. Her other works include Sunflowers, Monet's Garden in Art, Van Gogh: Fields and Flowers, and Mary Cassatt: Reflections of Women's Lives. She serves as a scholar in residence at the Newberry Library.