Art has been something more than a visual delight; it is a language of feeling, a mirror of culture, and a way to relate to the minds of brilliant artists. Through the ages, some artists have transformed the perception of this world and captured the small beauty we see, making it into eternal masterpieces.
Claude Monet is still one of the most influential of them, commonly referred to as the father of Impressionism. His light brushstrokes, brilliant colors, and skill in capturing light and air made ordinary landscapes look like dreams.
At Canvas by Numbers, we believe that happiness multiplies when you not only admire these works but also experience them yourself. Therefore, our paint-by-number kits allow anyone to enter the world of Monet, recreate his art, and experience the magic of Impressionism with their own hands.
With that said, today, we are going to explore his life, his legacy, and the beauty of bringing Monet paintings to life in the home.
What Did Monet Paint Before Becoming Famous?
Claude Monet was born in 1840, France, and since his childhood, he showed his excellence with brushes through seascapes and landscapes or through caricatures.
While his family encouraged him to abandon art for the family business, Monet’s determination was unshakable. He even chose to complete his military service, spending time in Algeria, rather than give up his passion for painting.
But the artist preferred to complete military service, spending seven years in Algeria, rather than giving up his great passion.
Wondering what Claude Monet used to paint?
Compared to most other artists of his era who worked in studios, he took advantage of the new freedom to carry paint in portable tubes. That enabled him to work directly outdoors. It was a major element of Monet art style that made his paintings feel immediate and fresh. This technique even formed the foundation of the revolutionary Impressionist movement.
When And How Did Impressionism Begin With Monet?
When he returned from Africa, in Paris, he started experimenting with strokes and colors. Also, nature and the world around him were his inspirations. So, he enjoyed painting outside and capturing the moment based on that day’s ambience.
This evolution gave rise to Impressionism art characteristics, a style that broke away from the rigid academic rules of his time. On that note, Monet’s Impressionism is characterized by quick and spontaneous brushstrokes. It created a unique texture on the canvas, moving away from the realistic style and academic rules prevailing at the time.
Moreover, lines appear blurred, and some elements are barely clear. It was intentional as he tried to capture fleeting moments through changes in light. He achieved this with the use of different colors, like blues, grays, yellows, greens, or purples for the shadows.
In other words, when you look closely at an Impressionist painting, you can enjoy these technical features, yet the subject might appear to be blurred. But as you move away, the objects of the plain strokes of the brushes appear and radiate in all their glory.
Ultimately, what Claude Monet is known for is this bold departure, his ability to transform ordinary moments into extraordinary visions, inviting viewers to experience reality as a series of impressions rather than fixed forms. It was another expression of reality, always gentle, full of sensitivity and optimism, trying to convey the artist's impressions in a free and open way.
Later, Impressionism was coined in Paris in 1874 as a derogatory remark on the painting of Sunrise by Monet. He exhibited this work at the Salon de Paris, along with other painters of the so-called modern group, as viewed by the critic.
The Legacy of Monet's Impressionism
Monet was a prolific artist who fulfilled his dream when he constructed an open-air studio to paint at his house in Giverny. He painted and sketched his beautiful garden many times in various positions, at different times of the day and seasons.
For example, the garden paths, water lilies, and the Japanese bridge are his most well-known works. The Impressionist movement included other great painters such as Renoir, Degas, and Pissarro.
This movement transformed into Post-Impressionism, which later led to Expressionism. It was the opposite of Impressionist hedonism. Respected artists of the Expressionist movement also began their careers being inspired by the works of Claude Monet.
Well-known Monet Impressionist Works
You can select 14 of the most well-known paintings of Claude Monet from our collection. Here are some:
Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet: This is the painting that gave the art movement its name and depicted the dawn in the seaport of Le Havre.
Woman with a Parasol by Claude Monet: His wife, Camille, is shown in the midst of countryside wildflowers in this work. It is a capture of a stroll without the usual standing postures in portraits of the era.
Poppy Field Near Argenteuil by Claude Monet:the poppy fields of Argenteuil were an inspiration for the artist in several of his paintings.
The Artist's Garden in Giverny by Claude Monet : is among the numerous pictures he made of his garden, and one of the most famous.
Struggles and Determination of Monet
The history behind the beauty of Claude Monet’s canvases was not without challenges. Actually, he had to endure years of monetary difficulty and disapproval before he was considered a master.
In the early stages of his career, his work was often dismissed as incomplete or haphazard. His paintings were also frequently rejected by galleries and official salons because they did not conform to the precise detail and smooth finish that were the standards of the era.
Nonetheless, Monet was not discouraged. He still painted what he loved: rivers, gardens, skies, and people in natural light. One of the reasons he is remembered is not only by his radiant landscapes but also by his persistence in acting upon his artistic vision despite opposition.
To contemporary artists, this tenacity is as motivating as his brushwork. That said, as you pick up our Monet paint-by-numbers kit, you are not only recreating his art but you are also honoring his refusal to compromise his style.
The Role of Nature in the Art of Monet
Nature was not a background to Monet; it was the essence of his work. He painted the natural world, inspired by the Seine River and the Normandy seashore, as well as the fields of Argenteuil and his celebrated gardens in Giverny.
That is because he thought that even the simplest of scenes were turned into something extraordinary by light and atmosphere. This ability to observe the same object in varying lighting conditions is one of the hallmarks of Claude Monet’s Impressionist paintings.
For example, his haystack series considers how the sunrise, sunset, mist, and snow could all vary the look of one object. In other words, this method emphasized the dynamic, shifting nature of nature itself.
To the contemporary art enthusiast, it is an invitation to take their time and capture the same finesse with our paint-by-number kits. It is not a matter of filling in colors, but rather starting to see how the different shades of blue, green, and gold combine to create a feeling.
The International Influence of Impressionism
Although Monet started by painting local rivers and the French countryside, the influence of his work did not take long to reach well beyond his native land. Impressionism created a significant global change in mindsets towards painting.
For example, artists started emphasizing emotion, color, and ambiance instead of accuracy or perfection. This influence was passed on to the generation of painters, starting with Van Gogh, to Cezanne and then to Post-Impressionism and Expressionism.
Currently, museums worldwide feature Claude Monet's Impressionist paintings as pivots in art history. Speaking of which, his work in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York continues to attract millions of visitors.
To ordinary creators, this legacy is here to remind us that even slight brush strokes can make a huge difference. Also, by using our paint-by-numbers kit, you can join this movement that changed the way people see and experience art forever.
Paint Famous Monet Impressionist Works by Numbers
So, why simply admire the works of Monet when you can recreate them with your own hands?
It is also an excellent idea to spend time on yourself. Further, the emotional and physical benefits of practicing paint by numbers are numerous. Not only that. It may also be a homemade present for that special individual.
That said, because you will devote time and passion to drawing a picture, select the work of a great painter. After all, it is no small matter to paint a Monet himself and to present it to the world.
