Lecture Notes: Claude Monet's Water Lilies

Introduction

• Claude Monet often criticized as overexposed and too obvious.
• His late works, particularly the Water Lilies, considered radical.
• Initially viewed as aesthetic interpretations of his garden, but are more profound.
• These paintings were conceived as a war memorial for WWI victims.

Monet's Life Circumstances

• In 1914, at age 74, Monet faced personal losses and failing eyesight.
• Despite being wealthy and successful, he chose to embark on a new series of paintings.
• Influenced by the horrors of WWI, Monet sought to create impactful works.

The Water Lilies as an Artistic Achievement

• Eight monumental curved panels designed for the Orangerie in Paris.
• Cover 200 square meters of canvas, creating an immersive experience.
• Monet described them as "an endless whole," a wave without horizon or shore.
• Designed to change with light, simulating sunrise and sunset through filtered daylight.

Clemenceau's Influence

• Georges Clemenceau, a friend and politician, persuaded Monet to continue painting.
• Saw Monet's work as the pinnacle of French culture.
• Clemenceau ensured Monet had supplies and encouraged his artistic contributions.

Creation Process

• New studio built to accommodate large canvases.
• Worked on multiple canvases simultaneously, using caster wheels for light adjustments.
• Employed thick paint application and a technique avoiding blending to create vibrancy.
• Absence of horizon in paintings offers a unique perspective, likened to war landscapes.

Monet's Artistic Choices

• Loss of horizon compared to battlefields without beginning or end.
• Mourning evident in truncated willow trees, symbolic of personal and collective loss.
• Cataracts influenced color perception, leading to more abstract and less detailed work.

Challenges and Legacy

• Monet hesitant to release works; Clemenceau negotiated their transfer posthumously.
• Initial reception lukewarm; criticized as the work of an old man.
• Rediscovered by Abstract Expressionists in the 1950s as an inspiration for abstraction.
• Modern recognition affirms Monet's genius, with the Orangerie as a monument to his work.

Conclusion

• Monet's late works marked a departure from traditional Impressionism.
• Clemenceau's partnership with Monet was crucial to the creation of the Water Lilies series.
• Although initially underappreciated, Monet's final works now celebrated for their innovation and emotional impact.