Claude Monet: The Water Lily Ponds Series
It was probably since Monet’s celebrated “Impression: Sunrise” that water reflections became a trademark device of the artist. Moreover, it is thanks to him that these mirroring effects may be considered an important element of impressionism as a whole. It seems that the mutability of water, or simply put, the ripples, are inherently impressionistic — and they were such long before the term was ever coined. Taking into account these two main qualities, which basically translate to movement and rhythm (the ripples) and color (the reflections), water indeed makes the most obvious choice of subject matter for an impressionistic painting.
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There are various levels of complexity in water scenes, and Monet gradually mastered all of them, creating dozens of paintings and establishing himself as a canonical figure in this particular sub-genre. You may find a more comprehensive outlook on the artist’s development in Making a Mark. My goal would be to try and focus on a few paintings, where the artist employs his famous “harmonies.” I would also mention, not without some content mixed with an “I told you so” feeling, that landscape once again proves to be the optimal subject matter for Monet’s style. The arching bridge emphasizes this point more than anything else: a plain structure that blends with the surroundings is the antithesis to the heavy cathedral.
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Looking at water had always induced a hypnotizing effect on me, almost as strong as looking at fire. And that is not because I like looking at my own reflection (though I might have some narcissistic tendencies) — it is the other objects trapped in the glassy surface, constantly changing shape and never the same that attract me, almost dragging me along with them. Hence I judge these painting according to the degree with which they replicate said effect; on a side note, since the water pond series are basically a variation on a single theme, it is possible — and probably needed — to speak of them resumptively, as one painting.
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So, that degree is high, and the illusion of reflection is very believable. Colors dominate the water without reservations, boldly echoing the “originals” rising above the pond, though there are some occasional black areas that portray the water itself. It appears that there is clash taking place on the surface: the lilies, which inhabit the locus vs. the reflections of the willows and of the air above and between the trees. Accordingly, the flowers float in horizontally expanding islands, while the mirrored parts spread vertically. As a result, a complex visual net is created, which, in turn, contributes to the authenticity of the mirroring effect.
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It is interesting to notice that the same clash occurs above the surface too, the upward stretching trees countering the bridge and vice versa; the land and the pond reflect each other thematically as well as physically. It is a pleasure to figure out the artistic logic behind the bridge: doubled vertical lines need a similar counteraction — and the lilies together with the structure provide it. As a result, the painting exhibits a lulling harmony. The unified distribution of color accompanies it, adding a quiet, underlying rhythm to the luscious garden in front our eyes. Looking at these paintings is never tiring, as the vista, which opens up before the viewers, coils idly, lures them in again and again — into Monet’s world.
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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 4th, 2007 at 11:35 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.
on May 10, 2008 at 6:03 pm Marie Gayos wrote:
I found this critique very helpful. Thank you!