Monet's Water Lilies: A 250-Painting Evolution from 1897 to 1926
Between 1897 and 1926, Claude Monet created approximately 250 paintings of water lilies, a series that became a defining achievement of his late career. The Art Institute of Chicago holds one such work, 'Water Lilies' (1906), an oil on canvas measuring 35 3/8 × 37 1/16 inches, gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson (accession number 1933.1157). Monet, who had long painted in series, turned to this subject with a singular focus, remarking, 'One instant, one aspect of nature contains it all.' Each return to the water flowers saw him explore new visual aspects, influenced both by artistic choices and by his deteriorating vision due to cataracts. The later works in the series are particularly celebrated for their compositional experimentation and innovation, even as the artist struggled with his eyesight. The series evolved over nearly three decades, reflecting Monet's enduring fascination with the interplay of light, water, and reflection. The Art Institute of Chicago's collection includes this notable example, which exemplifies the artist's late style and his revolutionary approach to capturing the ephemeral.
Key facts
- Claude Monet painted approximately 250 water lily paintings between 1897 and 1926.
- The Art Institute of Chicago holds a 1906 'Water Lilies' painting, oil on canvas, 35 3/8 × 37 1/16 inches.
- The painting was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson, accession number 1933.1157.
- Monet said: 'One instant, one aspect of nature contains it all.'
- Monet's vision was impacted by cataracts, influencing his later works.
- The later water lily paintings are praised for compositional experimentation and innovation.
- Monet painted in series throughout his career, but water lilies became his favorite subject in his later years.
- The series evolved over nearly three decades, from 1897 to 1926.