Claude Monet, in full Oscar-Claude Monet, (1840 -1926), French painter who was the initiator, leader, and unswerving advocate of the Impressionist style. In his mature works, Monet developed his method of producing repeated studies of the same motif in series, changing canvases with the light or as his interest shifted. These series were frequently exhibited in groups for example, his images of haystacks (1890/91) and the Rouen cathedral (1894).
At his home in Giverny, Monet created the water-lily pond that served as inspiration for his last series of paintings. His popularity soared in the second half of the 20th century, when his works traveled the world in museum exhibitions that attracted record-breaking crowds and marketed popular commercial items featuring imagery from his art. He learned to paint en plein air as a teenager in Le Havre from the artist Eugène Boudin. In 1859, he became a pupil in the Paris studio of Charles Gleyre, where he met other artists. The first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, caused a public outcry, with the art critic Louis Leroy deriding the group in print as “impressionists.”
He found solace and inspiration in his gardens at Giverny, where he created the iconic water lily pond that would become the subject of some of his most celebrated works. As the leader of the Impressionist movement, Claude Monet’s contributions to the art world are immeasurable. Monet’s ability to capture the ephemeral beauty of nature and his dedication to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression have secured his place as one of the most iconic and influential figures in art history.
