Claude Monet – Biography
Full Name: Oscar-Claude Monet
Born: November 14, 1840 – Paris, France
Died: December 5, 1926 – Giverny, France
Nationality: French
Famous For: Founding figure of the Impressionist movement
V. Early Life
Monet was raised in Le Havre, Normandy. He showed a passion for art at a young age, particularly sketching. His mother supported his interest, but his father wanted him to join the family grocery business.
He studied at the Académie Suisse and later at Charles Gleyre’s studio in Paris, where he met fellow artists like Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley.
Career & Impressionism
Monet is best known for his role in developing Impressionism, a movement that emphasized light, color, and everyday scenes over realistic detail.
– His painting “Impression, Sunrise” (1872) gave the Impressionist movement its name.
– He painted series of the same subjects under different light conditions — such as Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, and Water Lilies.
– He loved painting outdoors (en plein air) to capture natural light and atmosphere.
Giverny & Later Life
Monet moved to Giverny in 1883, where he designed an elaborate garden. This garden became the inspiration for his iconic Water Lilies series, which he painted over the last 30 years of his life even as he battled cataracts.
Legacy
– Monet is considered the father of French Impressionism.
– His techniques changed the course of modern art, influencing artists worldwide.
– Today, his works are housed in major museums including the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
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