Conférence « Monet : père de l’Impressionnisme »

Around 1825, Jean-Baptiste Corot, followed by the artists of the Barbizon School, paved the way for plein air painting, emphasising contact with nature and the observation of landscapes. Forty years later, gathered around Manet, Monet and Renoir gradually established a new way of capturing the moment, reflections and the vibrancy of colour.

Monet’s long life was marked by a difficult start. He struggled to build his career whilst establishing a married life with Camille Doncieux, whom he mourned after her untimely death, and then with Alice Hoschedé, within a blended family.

During his youth in Le Havre, his encounter with Eugène Boudin proved decisive. Through works such as *Women in the Garden* and *La Grenouillère*, the young artist established a new technique, based on sensation.

In 1874, his painting *Impression, Sunrise* caused a veritable scandal. With its free brushwork and apparent incompleteness, it gave rise to the term ‘Impressionism ’. Over a career spanning more than sixty years and comprising nearly 2,000 paintings – ranging from rural and urban scenes to the famous series of Haystacks, Stations and Cathedrals – Monet sought to capture the fleeting play of light and the changing weather on a constantly evolving landscape.

Giverny represents the culmination of his artistic genius. The creation of a garden inspired by Japonism became the setting for his almost obsessive pursuit of the Water Lilies. Monet pushed his quest for a modern style of painting centred on the impression of light and colour to the very boundaries of abstraction. He left a profound mark on several generations of artists both in France and abroad.

Commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the painter’s death (1840–1926)

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Brigitte SERRE-BOURET holds a PhD in Art History and Archaeology and is an honorary chief curator of heritage. After more than thirty years as director of fine arts museums, she now devotes herself to research and higher education in her fields of expertise.

Brigitte SERRE-BOURET is the author of two recent books published by Editions des Falaises: *Camille Claudel, la Dernière Valse* and *Ivoire: les secrets de l’Or blanc*.