Artwork
Water Lilies
Water Lilies is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. It dates from 1906 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Accession no.
- 16568
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
About this work
Overview
Water Lilies is an oil-on-canvas painting by Claude Monet, created between 1903 and 1908. It is one of approximately 250 works depicting his garden pond at Giverny, France.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses on the pond's surface, with water lilies framing a central watery path. Reflected trees and clouds add depth, while the nearly square format emphasizes the water's surface, abandoning traditional land-sky-water divisions.
Technique & Style
Monet's brushstrokes in Water Lilies are characteristic of his evolving style, moving towards looser, more expressive strokes. Technical examination reveals significant changes made during the painting's creation, underscoring Monet's obsessive approach to capturing his subject.
History & Provenance
Monet began cultivating his Giverny garden in 1890, and by the early 1900s, it had become his primary inspiration. Water Lilies is a midpoint in his developing style, preceding the monumental series he created for the Musée de l'Orangerie murals between 1914 and 1926.
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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.
