Claude Monet: The life and legacy of the Impressionist master

Claude Monet, a pioneer of the Impressionist movement, is being celebrated during the centenary of his death. Known for his focus on light and nature, Monet’s work often captured ephemeral moments through plein air painting.

His residence in Giverny, Normandy, which he moved to in 1883, served as both a home and a vast source of inspiration. The property included a large garden that the botanically-inclined artist transformed into a personal paradise.

One of his significant early works, ‘Femmes au jardin’ (Women in the Garden), was painted around 1866 in Ville d’Avray when the artist was 26 years old. This monumental oil painting is noted for foreshadowing the innovative freedom found in his later masterpieces, such as the ‘Nymphéas’ (Water Lilies) series.