Claude Monet's Water Lilies

Painting on the spot, immersed in their surroundings, the Impressionists placed early emphasis on the importance of light in their work. The Water Lilies were not Monet's first series built on a single theme explored through the play of light: his series of ten paintings, the Creuse Valley, already revealed his fascination with this approach.

The sheer variety of the Water Lilies stems from the length of the project: the series of around 250 paintings spans more than thirty-one years. Over three decades, the artist's mastery evolved; his encounters with other painters influenced him, prompting him to question his work or, on the contrary, to gain confidence and explore new directions.

This profusion of canvases is also explained by an ever-present subject: the Water Lilies were painted in Monet's gardens, which he laid out at great expense. He went so far as to divert the course of the Epte, a nearby river, in order to create ponds and plant his exotic flowers there.

Some paintings are modest in size, others are monumental works more than 33 feet across, such as Water Lilies, Morning with Willows, displayed at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris.
 

Monet painted water lilies for the first time in 1895.
In the fall of 1901, he diverted the course of the Epte to develop his garden.
In 1902, the Water Lilies series truly began.
In 1909, Paul Durand-Ruel paid tribute to Monet's work by exhibiting 48 of his canvases.
In 1910, the painter had his pond enlarged, creating a setting ever closer to his aspirations.
In 1912, Monet learned that he was suffering from a cataract in each eye, which impaired his vision.
In 1914, he relaunched his work with a series of decorative panels devoted to the water lilies, encouraged by the French statesman Georges Clemenceau, though his eyesight caused delays and difficulties.
In 1926, Monet died at the advanced age of 86, in his house at Giverny. 
The official inauguration of his Water Lilies cycle at the Musée de l'Orangerie took place six months after his death.

Monet in fact produced several series around his favorite theme, three of which stand out.

• Water Lily Pond (1899-1900).
• Water Lilies, Water Landscapes (1903-1908).
• The Japanese Bridge (1918-1924).

Across these works you can also trace the gradual decline of Monet's eyesight, a dimension that remains an important subject of discussion among art critics and historians.
You can discover the extraordinary setting that inspired the artist by visiting Monet's house and wandering through his gardens. Extime Travel organizes day trips to Giverny from Paris.
Discover other major works by Monet, such as Impression, Sunrise, the Saint-Lazare Station and Haystacks series, and The Woman in a Green Dress.