StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Claude Monet Water Lilies - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
May 29, 2015 Monet’s Water Lilies and the MoMA: A Reflection As I stood outside New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), on a spectacularly cloudless sunny day, preparing myself for my assignment, I began to think about my surroundings a bit…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94% of users find it useful
Claude Monet Water Lilies
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Claude Monet Water Lilies"

Download file to see previous pages

I could feel my heart beat quicken as I inched forward in line for my ticket, anticipating what I would see, how it would affect me, and how I would be changed in some way, as we all are, by seeing to what heights the soul of man can rise. As I entered the building and was captured by the walls of glass, modern, clean white lines of the galleries, the large public works of art throughout the building, with works hung on staircase landings (of all places!) and from the ceilings, meant to show how accessible and functional the modern works could be.

I was drawn into one exhibit, on the second floor, though, that featured an exhibition of the French impressionist artist Claude Monet, entitled “Monet’s Water Lilies.” I was drawn into a room where three 20-foot paintings, his masterpieces of his study of Water Lilies, were hung in harmonious and dramatic style. The works were placed next to and across from each other, with their gigantic canvases echoing what Monet saw over many days and months in his garden in Giverny. At first glance, the works were a muted collection of simplicity, but the more I studied the works, the more I was overwhelmed at their aspects of color, the juxtaposition of the works, and the overwhelming sense of permanence I felt when sitting among these works.

I was drawn into their immense size, wealth of subtle colors and scale of proportions that reflected the various moods created by light, water, sky, and nature, as they all worked together to create a sense of serenity and eternal feeling. It slowed me down to a point to where I had to sit and observe, and allow myself to see the detail throughout each painting. The simplicity yet complexity of the works drew me to them and left a permanence in my mind’s eye. The fact that they were located in a room which seemed built especially for these large works, allowed them to be seen as a reflection of each other, in a way enhanced the experience for me.

As I observed, I noticed more and more layers of paint on the works, which showed a tremendous amount of effort that went into the work. Done in impressionist pastels, with a study of a pond dotted with reflections of water lilies, poppies, sky, grasses, and trees, reminded me that the more we look at even the most simplistic things, the more complex they are. The simplicity is reminiscent of the style of Japanese art with a harmonious relationship between man and nature, with each complementing each other.

In this case, there were no men or human structures in the paintings, as we were meant to be the human element of the works, and almost become part of the painting, as we are filled with a sense of serenity, color, nature, and calmness. The muted lighting, subtle colors, reflections of sky--and of ourselves- allows the viewer to become part of that Giverny landscape-- part of Monet’s eternal world. The pure simplicity of the works, but the hidden complexity of the brush strokes, depth and layer of colors, echoes the haiku of the Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho.

As with Monet, his haiku are simple on the surface, but the artist draws the observer in with hidden complexities and depth of meaning and complexity of nature and human existence. As Monet uses the stroke of a brush to reveal his emotional depth and feeling, Bashu uses the written word to paint his canvas of emotion and searching of the human soul. Simplicity means complexity in both artists’

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Claude Monet Water Lilies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Claude Monet Water Lilies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1435356-claude-monet-water-lilies
(Claude Monet Water Lilies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
Claude Monet Water Lilies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1435356-claude-monet-water-lilies.
“Claude Monet Water Lilies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1435356-claude-monet-water-lilies.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Claude Monet Water Lilies

The Life of Claude Monet

The Life of claude monet School Name The Life of claude monet claude monet was born on 14th of November 1840 in Paris France.... hellip; Many people referred to him as claude monet even though his parents called him ‘Oscar'.... The family had to relocate to Le Havre, on the Seine estuary, where claude monet received his primary education in a private school (Monet 2010 p.... He was the second son to his parents Claude Adolphe monet and Louise-Justine Aubree....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Monets Life and Works

claude monet, also known as Oscar-claude monet or Claude Oscar Monet, was born on November 14, 1840 in Paris, France.... Monet liked to paint water, the way colors reflected in the water and boats, seas, and lakes were some of his pet subjects, so much so that after he married in 1870 (he married his favorite model Camille, whom he painted in Women in the Garden), and settled in Argenteuil, he fixed a boat with an easel and painted his way wavering down the Seine River, seizing his impressions of the relationship of light, water and surroundings....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

ALL ART A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME CULTURE'S VALUES FOUND EMBEDDED IN ART

(Art Form (plural art forms)) It can also be looked at as an artistic medium or a creative activity which is intended to produce something pleasing to the eye and… An art form may also be regarded as something done in a sophisticated and skillful manner, such that it may be considered as artistic....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Manet's "Olympia" and Monet's "Les Nympheas" (The Water Lilies)

By his Olympia Manet dared number 03 February Video Review: Manet, Olympia and Monet, Les Nymphéas (The water lilies In his colorful painting titled Olympia Edouard Manet exploits a tradition of making sensual portraits of young women, which is old as art itself.... A spectacular painting The water lilies was created by Claude Monet after the death of his wife and the death of his son in the decline of his years.... "Monet, Les Nymphéas (The water lilies), 1918-26....
1 Pages (250 words) Coursework

Claude Monet: The Impressionist

claude monet: The Impressionist To break free from the Franco-Prussian War, Monet went to London in 1870, creating numerous paintings like the Westminster Bridge.... claude monet, who is a French Impressionist artist, was mostly influenced by the natural world.... Focusing on the fishpond itself, his full artworks let the audience feel as though they were near or even inside the water enclosed by the vegetation.... He carried on with his water paintings until his death....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Claude Monet - Japanese Footbridge and the Water Lily Pool

The background is filled with wispy green trees and reeds surrounding the pond while the foreground and midground are filled with the suggestion of lily pads, some of which are topped by ill-defined white water lilies.... The paper "claude monet - Japanese Footbridge and the Water Lily Pool" highlights that to bring forward his conception of the importance of a man's connection to nature, Monet chose his subject matter carefully, using the bridge as a symbol for the various ideas inherent in the movement....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper

Response to Monets Water Lillies - Art Commentary

In fact, one of the highest prices paid for a single work of art was invested in one of his water lilies (1920-1926) series, which sold in 2008 for over $70 million.... he interest in this series of paintings continues today, as seen by the public and critical response to the Monet's water lilies exhibition held in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art from September 13, 2009, until April 12, 2010.... It was in this spirit that Dr Baldacchino granted permission for me to use my personal notes from several visits during this showing period in order to offer my interpretation of water lilies through a novel lens....
32 Pages (8000 words) Term Paper

Claudes Monet Water Lilies and David Alfaro Siqueiros Echo of a Scream

This research will begin with the statement that at a first glance, Claude's monet water lilies and David Alfaro Siqueiros' Echo of a Scream may not seem to have any semblance at all but in fact, shared the same style and use of artwork in advancing a particular activism or movement.... Monet's water lilies may not evoke the same loss or sorrow that Siqueiros Echo of a Scream evokes but it still bears the same activism that David Alfaro Siqueiros' Echo of a Scream has....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us