Claude Monet

The founding father of French Impressionism, Claude Monet’s inspiring talent and personality were crucial in bringing the movement, and it’s members, together. Monet was influenced by the Realist painters, and often depicted the landscapes and leisurely activities of Paris society and the Normandy coast. As his style matured, Monet moved away from figurative compositions to explore color and light, seeking to capture, on canvas, the very act of perceiving nature. Monet lead a fulfilling career—creating some of the world’s most beloved pieces of art— and set a benchmark for decades of abstract and modernist artists to come.