6 Amazing things you didn’t know about Claude Monet
by Candy Light, Platform Support at Masterworks
French painter Claude Monet was a pioneering figure in the development of Impressionism, an art historical movement that focused on painting a fleeting moment in time. In order to achieve this, Monet broke with age old tradition and chose to paint outdoors “en plein air” instead of in a studio, so that he could work directly from nature.
Familiar scenes of water lilies, hay stacks, poplar trees, cathedrals, etc. populate his oeuvre, as Monet purposely painted the same scenes repeatedly in an attempt to capture the different effects light and atmospheric conditions would have on the colors he witnessed. Monet recognized that light and color are perpetually connected, yet the palettes of summer vs. winter, morning vs. evening, sunny vs. overcast, are ever-changing. A person could experience the same landscape a thousand different ways… and Monet immortalized his own experiences on canvas.
On June 20th 2018 Masterworks acquired a stunning 1881 painting by the master himself, Monet’s Coup de Vent, or Gust of Wind at Christie’s London. This will be the second painting Masterworks plans to offer fractional shares in using the blockchain — opening the doors to the democratization of fine art ownership.
Below, we have shared some fun facts about this beloved artist. Enjoy!
Oscar?
Claude Monet was actually born Oscar-Claude Monet and his parents referred to him as Oscar. Monet became professionally known as Claude Monet, but some of his very early drawings are signed “O. Monet”
Gardener Extraordinaire
Aside from having two wives during his lifetime, Monet’s primary “muse” was his garden in Giverny. He even imported exotic seeds from all over the world in order to build the magnificent garden we experience in his paintings. (PS- you can still visit his gardens today!)
Perfectionist
Monet was so obsessed with ‘color’ that even while his first wife Camille was on her death bed, he couldn’t help but to notice the different shades of purple and blue that were revealed in her tender face. His 1879 painting — Camille on Her Deathbed — is a particularly striking painting of this sensitive subject matter. Monet reflected on the moment in a letter, “Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”
Losing Color
Later in his life, Monet suffered from cataracts (a yellowed lens over the eye) which severely deteriorated his vision and ability to see certain colors, in particular shorter wavelengths such as blue. He destroyed many late canvases in a rage due to his feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration. Monet lamented on his great loss, “I am terribly sad and discouraged. Life is a torture for me.”
Panned
Monet’s 1872 painting, Impression, is widely considered the first ever Impressionist painting. The name Impressionism, was coined from a scathing critical review, which mocked the painting, stating, “Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.”
Cartoonist
When Monet was young (15) he was well-known around his town as a caricaturist, and drew portraits of his teachers and friends. The detail in these early drawings is in stark contrast to the atmospheric quality of his mature paintings.
So there ya have it! 6 interesting facts about Claude Monet that you may not have heard of before. If you’re interested in owning a piece of Monet’s history, make sure to get in touch with us at support@masterworks.io!
