Born out of the artists’ desire to break
Born out of the artists’ desire to break away from the canons of the Academy, French Impressionist artists Manet, Monet, and Renoir explored contemporary subjects and scenes in new and experimental ways. Major contributions of the Impressionists include painting everyday life, they choice to paint en plein air, outdoors, instead of in the studio and most importantly, the fleeting effects of light on a particular subject. These “impressions” of light became the primary subject matter, especially for Monet. On the bridge between Realism and Impressionism is Edouard Manet. Born in Paris in 1832, he preferred a more classical approach to painting. However, his subject matter in paintings such as Le Dejeuner Sur L’herbe and Olympia gave him the reputation as a nonconformist. Manet places the Olympia we see in classical paintings in a contemporary setting rather than an allegorical one and she looks directly at the viewer. The refusal of the salon to show these paintings earned him the dubious title, “Father of Impressionism”. Claude Monet is best known for his paintings of his garden at Giverny. In the 1890’s he began to build a water garden around his house. There he painted his famous water lily paintings. By 1909 he had conceptualized an idea for a vast project of water lily canvases that would envelop an entire room. From 1916 almost until his death he worked on these canvases. He spoke of this endeavor, “In the night I am constantly haunted by what I am trying to realize. I rise broken with fatigue every morning.” In these canvases perspective is reduced to the water lilies floating on the surface of the water. Pierre Auguste Renoir’s painting, Le Moulin de la Galette is a study in impressionism. The scene is of working class people enjoying the leisure of a Sunday afternoon. The artist set up an easel right near the location and painted from life. Renoir was especially concerned with the play of light and shadow as they danced across the surface of an object. The fondness for impressionism exists today because these images capture forever the changing moments of time that we can all relate to in our contemporary world.
-
The Unknown Monet: Pastels and Drawings (Clark Art Institute) 
Monet has long been seen as an anti-draftsman, an artist who painted his subjects directly and whose rarely seen graphic works were marginal to his artistic process. In an effort to develop his public image, Monet denied the role of drawing in his working method. In actuality, Monet began his career as a caricaturist and as a teenager developed a passion for drawing that was never extinguished. He went on to master the medium of pastel and included seven in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874.
Citing recently discovered, unpublished documents that overturn the accepted image of the artist, The Unknown Monet reveals an extensive group of graphic works created over the course of the artist’s career, many of which are unknown to the general public and to scholars: beautiful pastels, stunning black chalk drawings, and fascinating sketchbooks, which include pencil studies that relate to many of his paintings. The book also shows how Monet exploited the print media to promote his art.
The most important publication on Monet to appear in a generation, this illuminating volume is essential to anyone interested in his work, Impressionism, and nineteenth-century French culture.
List Price: $65.00
Amazon Price: $40.95
Used Price: $35.25
Customer Review: The discovery of a new Monet
This book, the catalogue for a travelling exhibition held in 2007, enables the reader to discover an often overlooked aspect of Monet’s art. The drawings and, above all, the pastels shown and explained here demonstrate the artist’s mastery of light and color better than his paintings, because they look fresher to us. Some are studies for actual paintings, and others are finished works in their own right. Also described are his many caricatures of the rich and famous of the time, which, to me, were a complete discovery. A very informative text and high quality reproductions, all contribute to make this book a valuable addition to the literature on the artist.
Customer Review: The Unknown Monet: Pastels and Drawings (Clark Art Institute)
I received my book on Monet’s pastels and drawings in EXCELLENT condition and in addition is a simply gorgeous book. I’m an artist history major and I had no idea that Monet drew with pastels. Thank you for the good price too! Deirdre Dunne
Monet, Claude 2008 Wall Calendar 
List Price: $12.99
Amazon Price: $12.99
Claude Monet (Getting To Know The World’s Greatest Artists) 
A lighthearted, intelligent, appealing introduction to one of the world’s greatest artists — in the style of Mike Venezia’s award-winning children’s books. Claude Monet and his French Impressionist circle are brought to life in this entertaining animated video. Praised by Booklist, School Library Journal and Video Librarian — loved by teachers, librarians, parents and kids!
“The passing cloud, the cooling breeze, the sudden storm that threatens to burst and finally does, the wind that stirs and suddenly blows with full force, the light that fades and is reborn are all things, elusive to the eyes of the uninitiated, that transfigure the color and shape of the bodies of water.” (Claude Monet) The Musee de l’Orangerie sits in the jardins de Tuileries, not far from the Musee du Louvre in Paris. It contains over 140 works by French painters, produced between 1880 and 1930. A specially designed space was created in the Orangerie to house the 12 piece series The Water Lilies, painted by Claude Monet between 1918 and 1926, and gifted to France by Monet following the signing of the armistice. Monet’s own garden and ponds at Giverny provide the setting painted in these works.
Paul Galschneider - Impressionist Artist, Nantucket Island, MA
Impressionist Nantucket artist, Paul Galschneider exhibits his impasto oils on Nantucket Island. Upcoming Openings & Receptions. Downtown Nantucket 19 Centre St. J. Pepper
