Water lilies in 250 works of Monet

Among the great names of modern art, Claude Monet certainly cannot be missed. The revolutionary artist contributed to the development and subsequent fame of the Impressionist art movement.

Fascinated by nature and its changing appearance, the impressionist painter devoted himself to painting 'en plein air', i.e. outdoors, thus managing to understand the subtle nuances that light generates in every detail.

After the death of his wife Camille in 1879, Monet decided to move outside of Paris, precisely to Giverny. Here, with his family and new partner, he creates a place dedicated to his creativity, a real secret garden away from the noise of the city and distractions of any kind.

He lived in the country house for more than forty years, until his death, devoting himself to his passions - such as painting and gardening. In his tranquil oasis, plants, flowers and natural elements follow a precise arrangement, based on Monet's own chromatic harmony and taste.

His garden and water lilies that float in the water become a real obsession for him, to the point where he creates about 250 works.

The series of Water Lilies deviates more from Impressionism to get closer and closer to Abstractionism. The assumed, simplified forms are the master of the works successfully exhibited in 1909 at the Durand-Ruel gallery in Paris in the exhibition entitled Water lilies, waterscapes.

There are different reactions from the critics: Monet's friend, Lucien Descaves, wrote about the exhibition "I leave your exhibition dazzled and amazed!".

Romand Roilland, on the other hand, sent a letter directly to the painter: "When I am disgusted by the mediocrity of current literature and music, I can only turn to water lilies to reconcile myself to my age...".

The purpose of Monet's art remains the same, that is, to capture the impression of a moment, as if it were the first time he sees something, but the gestures, the brushstrokes change.

In his diaries, the artist notes some thoughts:

"I painted many of these water lilies, always changing the vantage point, modifying them according to the seasons of the year, and adapting them to the different effects of light created by the changing seasons. And, of course, the effect changes constantly, not only from season to season, but from minute to minute."

This theme that accompanies him on the road to old age is represented by him as a corner of Heaven on earth, a place where charm and poetry come together and where "the water flowers are far from being the whole show, in fact I am only its companion. The basic element is the body of water, whose appearance changes every moment, while the particles of the sky are reflected in it, giving it life and movement."

To this day, these magnificent works of art can be found in the most important private collections and in the largest museums in the world. /Newspaper "Si"/