Dissatisfied with the limitations of traditional art, Claude
Monet (1840-1925) founded Impressionism. Along with Auguste
Renoir and Camille Pissaro, he was a groundbreaking forerunner
of the movement. His serene, classic series of water lily
paintings, with their dreamlike atmosphere and vivid colors,
continues to provide strong inspiration for abstract artists
worldwide. Claude Monet (1840 – 1926) pioneered Impressionism,
profoundly influencing landscape painting. From Paris, Monet met
the nucleus of his Impressionist group while attending the
studio of Glenyre. Making a break from established painting
techniques, Monet captured the fleeting effects of time of day,
atmosphere and season upon color and light. Like a prism, his
artwork broke color into individual elements, and completely
lacked black and gray tones. Monet often painted the exact same
view numerous times to depict changing light and weather
conditions. Refining the portrayal of natural light’s transient
effects, his work broke ground for 20th c