“Besides gardening and painting, I don’t know a thing”.——Monet

Lately there’s an art exhibition called “Master of Impression—Claude Monet” held in Shanghai, which contents most of Monet’s famous artworks like “Water Lilies”, “Wine of Bordeaux” and “House of Parliament” . Additionally some of  his collections and personal belongings are also on display.

By: Zhang Yao  110909221  Class 2

This art exhibition started at 8 March in K11 Art Space and it will last until 15 June. All the exhibits are provided by Marmottan Monet Museum, 52 paintings are divided into five themes, named as “Monet’s Friends”, “Monet’s Caricatures ”,  “Monet’s Voyage”, “Monet’s Garden”, “Monet’s Ultimate” based on a timeline of Monet’s life, displayed in two showrooms. The first showroom mainly includes his earlier works and landscape paintings, can be considered as a preparation for his Garden works. The second one mostly contains his later works created in Giverny when Monet reached the peak of his career, with flowers and water as the subjects. At the first weekend it has attracted more than 6,000 art lovers. The set decorator Margo thinks that Monet’s art has the power to make people slow down and feel it, approach it.

In the first part you can see some paintings from other impressionism masters. Like Eugene Boudin, Monet’s first teacher on oil painting, his “La Plage De Trouville” is on show. Also one of Renoir’s most famous paintings “Blonde Node” and some other portraits. These paintings used to be Monet’s private collections and also, serve as witness to his friendship. The second part is kind of interesting. People once knew Monet well for his caricatures, and the most famous one is “Wine of Bordeaux” showed on this exhibition. Additionally, Monet’s palette, pipe and glasses, all these personal belongings make this display area more meaningful. The third part, however, is consist of 14 landscape paintings created during his tour. This period plays an essential role in Monet’s painting career, he painted the same scene over and over in various lights and different times. In that, most of his paintings in this period are known to the world.

One part that really impressive in this exhibition is the series of water-lily and the Japanese bridge paintings created in Monet’s old age, his most depressed period. Monet spent the rest of his life at Giverny and his garden seems to bring a great inspiration. Especially the series of “The Japanese Bridge” on show. You can see him played with light and shade, changed canvas with the changes of light. So the cross of light and shade created flexible tone on these paintings. With the falling of eyesight, the use of color in Monet’s paintings are also getting deeper and bluer, leading to a unique style on his works.

The most interesting thing is,  people always can not recognize the motive of his bridge paintings immediately,  but after they look at the name and observe it again,people start to marvel at how amazing they are. Even you are familiar with artworks in some other way,  you may still experience a number of surprises and feel touched at the moment you facing them. So while the sun is shining,  while the spring breeze blowing,  it is time to find the beauty in Monet’s garden,  feel the art in your soul.