Water Lilies by Claude Monet | The Art Institute of Chicago

Overview

• Artist: Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)
• Title: Water Lilies
• Date: 1906
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 89.9 x 94.1 cm (35 3/8 x 37 1/16 in.); Framed: 103.2 x 107 x 5.8 cm (40 5/8 x 42 1/8 x 2 1/4 in.)
• Credit Line: Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
• Reference Number: 1933.1157
• Current Status: On loan to the Palace Museum, Beijing for Rejoicing in Woods and Springs: A Journey through Garden Cultures in China and the Wider World

Artistic Context

• Monet described his late masterpieces as capturing "one instant, one aspect of nature."
• Water Lilies belong to a series of water landscapes created at Monet's home in Giverny from 1897 until his death.
• The Water Lilies series replaced varied contemporary subjects with a focus on Monet's flower garden, featuring a water garden and pond.
• Monet's technique evolved to disregard conventional pictorial space, eliminating the horizon line and focusing on reflections and surface.

Exhibitions and Catalogue References

• Water Lilies have been featured in various exhibitions and publications, illustrating its significance in Monet’s oeuvre and the Impressionist movement.
• Notable exhibitions include:
  • Galeries Durand-Ruel, Paris, 1909
  • Toledo Museum of Art, 1937
  • Art Institute of Chicago, 1957
  • Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1999
  • Art Institute of Chicago’s "Monet and Chicago," 2020-2021

Historical and Market Provenance

• Monet sold the painting to Durand-Ruel and Bernheim-Jeune in 1909.
• It went through various transactions before being acquired by Martin A. Ryerson in 1914 and bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933.

Related Works

• Monet's other notable works include Stacks of Wheat series, The Artist's House at Argenteuil, and Irises.

Additional Resources

• The painting is part of the larger collection of the Art Institute of Chicago’s European Painting and Sculpture Department.
• Extensive literature and research resources are available, including the painting’s history in exhibition catalogs and art publications.

Visiting Information

• The painting is part of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection, though currently on loan.
• The museum offers various resources including publications, events, and accessibility services for visitors.