Claude Monet, Water Lilies (Nymphéas), c. 1906
Claude Monet, Water Lilies (Nymphéas), c. 1906 Claude Monet, Water Lilies (Nymphéas), c. 1906, oil on canvas, 89.9 × 94.1 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago Hello. We pause our daily routine for a moment and step into the world of art. Today, I’d like to introduce you to Water Lilies by Claude Monet, often called the painter of light. In 1883, Monet settled in Giverny, near Paris, where he began cultivating his own garden. He created a pond, planted water lilies, and spent the rest of his life capturing the play of light and the passage of time upon its surface. This particular work, painted around 1906, is now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Take a closer look at the canvas. There is no horizon, no sky—only water lilies floating on the surface and reflections of clouds and sky. Rather than depicting clear forms, Monet focused on the fleeting impressions of color shaped by light. The blues, greens, and subtle purples of the water’s surface seem to guide us into a stat...