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Foreword
It was Claude Monet’s Impression: Sunrise painted in 1873, which caused disapproving critics to contemptuously apply the name ‘Impressionist’ to the whole movement with which he was associated. Here is a magnificent collection of the great master’s works. There are many full-colour plates of his earlier works, such as the famous Lady in the Garden Sainte-Adresse (1867) and The Pond at Montgeron (1876–1877) in both of which the artist’s extraordinary ability to capture atmosphere and light are shown in starkly contrasting scenes. Examples of several of the series of paintings of the same subject which Monet was fond of producing – Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, the London series – are included here, as are his numerous depictions of his favourite resorts, Sainte-Adresse and Etretat on the Alabaster Coast of Normandy.
Biography
Auguste Renoir, Portrait of Claude Monet, 1875
Oil on canvas, 85 × 60.5 cm
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
1840: 14 November, Claude Oscar Monet is born in Paris.
1845: The Monet family moves to Le Havre.
1858: Makes the acquaintance of Boudin, who introduces him to plein-air painting.
1859: Goes to Paris. Meets Troyon. Frequents the Académie Suisse, where he meets Pissarro.
1860: Draws at the Académie Suisse. Paints landscapes at Champigny-sur-Marne. In the autumn, is called up for military service.
1861: Serves with the army in Algeria.
1862: Discharged for health reasons. In the summer, works at Sainte-Adresse together with Boudin and Jongkind. In November, returns to Paris. Attends the studio of Gleyre. Meets Renoir, Sisley and Bazille.
1863: Works at Chailly-en-Bière near Fontainebleau. At the end of the year Monet, Renoir, Sisley and Bazille leave the studio of Gleyre.
1864: Works at Honfleur with Bazille, Boudin and Jongkind. In Paris, meets Gustave Courbet.
1865: Exhibits two seascapes in the Salon. Spends the summer at Chailly together with Bazille. In the autumn, works at Trouville with Courbet, Daubigny and Whistler.
1866: Paints views of Paris. Exhibits Woman in a Green Dress (Camille) in the Salon. Meets Edouard Manet. At Ville d’Avray, paints Women in the Garden; in Le Havre, The Jetty at Le Havre; then works at Sainte-Adresse and Honfleur.
1867: Experiences financial hardship. Lives with his parents at Sainte-Adresse. In the autumn, returns to Paris.
1868: Works at Etretat and Fécamp.
1869: Together with Renoir, works at Bougival, where he paints La Grenouillère. Moves to Etretat, then to Le Havre.
1870: In September, goes to London.
1871: Stays in London. Daubigny introduces him to Durand-Ruel. Meets Pissarro. Travels to Holland. Reveals an interest in Japanese prints. Returns to France visiting Belgium on his way. In December, stays at Argenteuil.
1872: Together with Boudin, visits Courbet imprisoned for his participation in the Commune. Works at Le Havre, where he paints Impression: Sunrise. After his second trip to Holland, settles at Argenteuil (until 1878).
1873: Works at Argenteuil in a studio boat, painting the banks of the Seine.
1874: Shows nine works at the exhibition later to be called the First Impressionist Exhibition held at Nadar’s (15 April-15 May, 35 Boulevard des Capucines). Meets Caillebotte.
1875: Continues to work at Argenteuil. Difficult financial situation.
1876: In April, takes part in the Second Impressionist Exhibition, at the Durand-Ruel Gallery (11 Rue Le Peletier), showing eighteen works. Begins the Gare Saint-Lazare series, which he finishes the next year.
1877: In April, participants in the Third Impressionist Exhibition (6 Rue Le Peletier), displaying thirty paintings. Visits Montgeron. In the winter, returns to Paris.
1878: Settles at Vétheuil.
1879: At the Fourth Impressionist Exhibition (10 April-11 May, 28 Avenue de l’Opera) shows twenty-nine paintings. Works at Vétheuil and Lavacourt.
1880: His one-man show at the premises of the newspaper La Vie Moderne. Works at Vétheuil.
1881: Works at Vétheuil, Fécamp and, in December, at Poissy.
1882: In March, at the Seventh Impressionist Exhibition (251 Rue Saint-Honoré) shows thirty-five paintings. Works at Pourville, Dieppe and Poissy.
1883: In March, his one-man show at the Durand-Ruel Gallery. In May, stays at Giverny. Works in the environs of Vernon, in Le Havre, and at Etretat. In December, makes a short trip to the Mediterranean with Renoir. Visits Cézanne at l’Estaque.
1884: From 17 January to 14 March, works at Bordighera. In April, stays at Menton; in August, at Etretat; in the autumn, at Giverny.
1885: Takes part in the International Exhibition at the Georges Petit Gallery. From October to December, works at Etretat.
1886: A brief trip to Holland. Refuses to take part in the Eighth (last) Impressionist Exhibition. Contributes to the International Exhibition at the Georges Petit Gallery. A show of Monet’s paintings in New York. In September, works at Belle-Ile, where he meets Geffroy.
1887: Shows two paintings at the Exhibition of the Royal Society of British Artists in London.
1888: From January to April, lives at Antibes. In July, visits London. In September, returns to Etretat.
1889: In July, exhibition of works by Monet and Rosin (145 pieces) in the Georges Petit Gallery.
1890: Begins the Haystacks and Poplars series. Moves to Giverny.
1891: Continues his work on the Haystacks and Poplars series. The Haystacks series enjoys a success at the exhibition in the Durand-Ruel Gallery. In December, visits London.
1892: Exhibits his Poplars series. Begins the Rouen Cathedral series.
1893: Continues his work on the Rouen Cathedral series.
1894: Cézanne visits Giverny.
1895: In January, travels to Norway. Shows his Cathedrals series in the Durand-Ruel Gallery (10–31 May).
1896: In February and March, works at Pourville.
1897: From January to March, stays at Pourville.
1898: In June, takes part in the exhibition at the Georges Petit Gallery.
1899: Begins the Water Lilies. In the autumn, goes to London, where he paints views of the Thames.
1900: In February, visits London again. In April, works at Giverny. Spends the summer at Vétheuil.
1901: In February and April, stays in London.
1902: Spends February and March in Brittany.
1903: Works on views of the Thames in London.
1904: Paints his garden at Giverny. Shows his views of the Thames at the exhibition in the Durand-Ruel Gallery (9 May-14 June). In October, goes to Madrid to see works by Velázquez.
1906: Works on the Water Lilies series.
1908: From September to December, stays in Venice.
1909: In the autumn, returns to Venice, where he paints a series of views.
1912: Shows his Venetian series at the exhibition in the Bernhein-Jeune Gallery (28 May-8 June).
1916: Begins work on the decorative panels the Water Lilies.
1921: A retrospective exhibition in the Durand-Ruel Gallery (21 January-2 February). In September, a short trip to Brittany.
1922: