Water Lilies
- Original dimensions
- 152 x 130 cm
- Museum
- Marmottan Monet Museum
- Year
- 1917
Scene depicted
Water Lilies is an iconic pictorial work, part of a series of paintings where Claude Monet explores the effects of light on water. This canvas reveals the subtle variations of reflections and the dancing shadows created by the lush vegetation. The water lilies float peacefully, immersing the viewer in a dreamlike atmosphere, evocative of a secret garden and a peaceful harmony with nature.
Historical context
Year: 1917 |BRK| Museum: Marmottan Monet Museum |BRK| Dimensions: 152 x 130 cm
Place in the artist's career
Water Lilies represents the pinnacle of Monet's career, a sublime illustration of his mature style. While he had innovated in Impression, Sunrise and ventured into landscape with Luncheon on the Grass , this painting testifies to a quest for abstraction and luminance. By associating it with his other works, such as The Woman with a Parasol and The Artist's Garden in Giverny , one perceives the technical and emotional evolution that marks his journey.
Anecdote
“Nature never goes out of style,” Monet said, inspired by the morning light on the waters of his garden. One day, as a ray of sunshine pierced the morning mist, he realized that capturing this fleeting moment would be the heart of his masterpiece Water Lilies. This canvas became a reflection of his soul, an invitation to contemplation and peace.