Monet And His World Essays - Claude Monet, Camille Doncieux

Monet and His World I have always been interested in the impressionist style of art, especially the work of Claude Monet. When making my book selection I took this under consideration and chose a book written by Raymond Cogniat entitled Monet and His World. This lively illustrated book is written with great detail. Using explanations, illustrations, pictures and paintings, Cogniat helps to illustrate not only the life of Monet, but also the world of Impressionism, art and French society during Monet's time. You are thrust into the life of this painter and his frame of mind throughout the various stages in his life. Cogniat discusses a vast variety of artistic techniques and movements. He aids us in understanding Monet's motives and life behind the paintings I have learned a great deal about impressionism from this books and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in impressionist art. Monet and His World was published in 1966. The majority of the paintings are shown in black and white, which definitely takes away the beauty of them. It also makes us it harder to understand Mount's techniques of painting without chiaroscuro (using light and shade in pictorial representation). I was lucky enough to acquire a colored picture book of Monet's paintings called Monet, from the Crown Art Library series. It provides some basic information about Monet's life but primarily focuses on explaining each painting in detail. The book opens discussing the early life of Claude Monet. He was born in Paris in the year of 1840 to a family of grocers. He spent most his childhood at Le Havre where he earliest interests in art could be traced to his aunt, Mme Lecadre who was a amateur painter. Monet lead a relatively normal childhood. By the time he was fifteen years of age, Monet had begun his artistic journey. He discovered his talent in drawing caricatures1, which he even displayed at a local shop. The shop was owned by the painter Boudin, who recognized that Monet's talent far excelled caricatures. Boudin took the young artist under his wing and he eventually became the boy's mentor and inspiration. It was from Boudin that Monet received his first artistic training. He began to learn about the fluid qualities of scenery, which would later lead to the creation of impressionism. Monet's family did not accept his commitment to art; they wanted him to follow the family trade. He traveled to Paris where he met Pi ssaro and Courbet. In 1860 he drew an unlucky number from the military lottery. The family could have spared him the experience by paying for a substitute, yet they decided that he needed the "reality check". He was forced to serve in North Africa for two years, until he fell ill. His family's hope was crushed, for the trip has strengthened Monet's bond with nature and art. He returned home where he continued to paint luminous landscapes with Boudin and his new friend Jongkind. Paris was calling Monet, and he returned there in the fall of 1862. There he joined Gleyre's studio where he began to take his work more seriously than ever before. At Gleyre's studio he befriended Renoir, Sisley and Bazille. They had much in common, and upon the closing of the studio in 1863 the four decided to form their own school in the forest of Fontainebleau. There the four young men painted, became one with nature and stood undisturbed by society. They painted in "plein air," where the light and wind served as models; this marked the first step toward impressionism. They soon after became acquaintance with Eduoward Manet, a controversial painter whose techniques closely resembled their own. Monet and his friends now had to participate in the struggle of success. They attempted to have their works represented at the Salons with little success. They finally succeeded only to be mocked by the majority of the critics. He and Renoir often worked together on the banks of the Seine, painting in a style that was still unnamed Monet's personal life was also tumultuous. He had fell in love with one of his models, Camille Doncieux. She had gotten pregnant and Monet did not have the means to support her nor