Artist of the Day Claude-Oscar Monet Claude-Oscar Monet was born in Paris, France on the 14th of No

Artist of the Day

Claude-Oscar Monet

Claude-Oscar Monet was born in Paris, France on the 14th of November in 1840. 

He spent his remembered childhood in Le Havre, moving there at the age of five with his parents. Le Havre had no art museums or schools of art. His father was a green grocer, Monet expressed at an early age that he wanted to be an artist, his father turned a cold shoulder to his sons desire of an artists life. With forces working against him Monet had only his aunt to turn to, who painted as a dilettante. 

In Normandy 1858, after moving from his parents home in Le Havre Monet encountered his first artistic friend, Eugene Boudin. At this time Monet had found some success in painting caricatures. Boudin convinced Monet to turn to plein-air painting. Boudin’s direct words to Monet was “Everything that is painted directly on the spot has a strength, a power, a sureness of touch that one doesn’t find again in the studio.” “If a picture is not one part which should strike one but indeed the whole.” These words by Boudin to Monet could be viewed as Monet’s entire philosophy and view of his life’s work…