Artwork
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a modest still‑life composition centered on a vase filled with chrysanthemums, a subject typical of 19th‑century French flower painting that evokes domestic serenity and the transience of beauty. Monet’s handling of light on the petals and the subtle tonal shifts of the foliage underscores a contemplative mood, linking the ordinary arrangement to broader themes of impermanence and refined everyday elegance. The work, executed in oil on canvas in 1882, entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was previously owned by collector Louisine Havemeyer, illustrating its provenance and institutional significance.
Technique & Style
The piece is classified strictly as a painting, utilizing oil pigments applied to a woven textile ground.
Executed in 1882, this work by Claude Monet is an oil painting on canvas. The composition functions as a still life, depicting flowers arranged within a vase. Formal characteristics include a vertical orientation, with the support measuring approximately 100.3 centimeters in height and 81.9 centimeters in width.
The piece is classified strictly as a painting, utilizing oil pigments applied to a woven textile ground. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork or the current physical condition of the surface are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the fundamental material construction consists of oil medium on a canvas support, consistent with Monet's standard practice for easel paintings of this period.
History & Provenance
Claude Monet painted Chrysanthemums in 1882, employing oil on canvas to render a vase of flowers in a still‑life composition. The work was created on a canvas measuring 100.3 cm by 81.9 cm, as recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art catalogue. It entered the collection of Louisine Havemeyer shortly after its completion and was subsequently donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on public display.
The painting’s provenance thus traces from Monet’s studio in 1882 to Havemeyer’s ownership, followed by its acquisition by the museum.
Claude Monet's 1882 oil painting Chrysanthemums is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, which depicts a vase of flowers on a canvas support, was previously owned by Louisine Havemeyer. While the painting's physical dimensions are recorded as 100.3 cm in height and 81.9 cm in width, the provided sources do not list a specific accession or inventory number for the piece. Furthermore, the available documentation does not contain details regarding a specific exhibition history for this artwork.
Overview
Claude Monet's oil painting, Chrysanthemums, dates from 1892. This still life composition showcases a vibrant floral arrangement, characteristic of the artist's engagement with natural subjects. The work is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it represents a facet of Monet's extensive output during a prolific period.
Context
As a prominent French artist, Claude Monet frequently explored natural motifs throughout his career. While widely recognized for his expansive landscapes and series paintings, still life compositions like Chrysanthemums provided an intimate opportunity to study light and color on a smaller scale. This work aligns with his broader artistic practice of capturing the transient beauty of the natural world.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Oscar-Claude Monet was a French painter and founder of Impressionism who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it.
