Art & Critique

Claude Monet: The Poplars Series

These poplars are a difficult to approach: they produce a somewhat alienating grid not unlike prison bars, particularly in the version where the trees are dark. In a way, everything around them may be considered as a beautifying counteraction, except that the trademark water reflections only serve to extend the prison effect. I think that this was a bold and honest choice of subject matter on Monet’s part, to portray nature in its less pretty moments, and it is truly admirable that he managed to extract and capture the little beauty that there was to find in the poplars you see below. Because lets face it, they are quite ugly.

Poplars Buy From Art.com

The next thing that comes to mind is the even number of the trees. Not only the stripped poplars are repelling, but there are also four of them, which is not easy to process aesthetically. Had there been a fifth tree, the scene would not have appeared so monotonous and even more inescapable. The occasional growth on the trunks does nothing to assuage this perception; on the contrary, it may be enhancing it even further, as petty distraction from the grim situation. The slight curve in two of the central trees makes up for it only, well, slightly. But there is another line of trees in the distance that succeeds at least partially in delivering the desired relief.

Poplars on the Banks of t… Buy From Art.com

Apparently, they are also poplars, the ones you see above, but in their blooming grandeur — the question to be asked is why the trees in the forefront are not blooming as well? It seems as though this was an intentional inaccuracy, aimed at displaying the trees in various seasonal effects (my book, “Impressions of Light,” claims that the autumnal effect below was painted in summer), which makes this piece more than just a landscape but a sophisticated compilation of changes in nature. As a side effect, the colorful area in the background softens the dark hues in the foreground.

Poplars on the Epte Buy From Art.com

It seems only logical to ask if including poplars from various seasons in one painting was a concession of sorts. If the artist went thus far to depict the darker side of nature, why would he want to prettify it, practically canceling the achieved fidelity? But the answer to this question lies in the question itself. If it is fidelity Monet was striving to achieve, than showing the same object in various conditions on the same canvas makes the representation only more accurate — though, by breaking the accepted norm of a single unified temporality. Eventually, the long term subverts the short term, and a more poetical and mental temporal unity is put forward instead of the strict traditional reproduction.

Poplars on the Epte River… Buy From Art.com

But let us examine the blooming trees — a sharp contrast to the gloomy counterpart, both in color, number, and effect. I like how they resemble giant dandelions; this comparison is particularly interesting as they both seem to grow a similar fuzz (no claims at botanical accuracy are made). The growth on the slender and elegant trunks, the same growth that accentuated the boldness of the thicker and darker ones, tastefully winds around the poplars as a secondary adornment. Additionally, the trees are divided into two groups, as to eschew any sign of unsavory repetition. This time, the line of trees in the background emerges as a mere echo, weak and superficial. The abovemost two pieces are so different, yet so similar thematically; I think that they compliment each other so strongly, as to make them the most tight and notionally inseparable series that Claude Monet ever produced.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007 at 6:57 pm and is filed under Claude Monet, Impressionism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.