Monet's 'Femmes au jardin': How a 26-Year-Old Painted a Monumental Masterpiece in a Trench
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Claude Monet's passing, Beaux Arts magazine delves into 'Femmes au jardin,' an artwork created in 1866 when Monet was just 26 years old. This oil painting, measuring 255 by 205 cm, was executed outdoors in Ville d'Avray and is regarded as a forerunner of Impressionism. Monet employed a risky method by digging a trench to position the canvas, which resulted in initial damage later discovered by C2RMF researchers during restoration. The piece depicts a bright spring day, showcasing blue shadows and light reflecting off a white dress. Critic Émile Zola commended its bold effects. The three women portrayed are representations of Camille Doncieux, Monet's future spouse, with infrared reflectography revealing that one figure was added later. The artwork illustrates the fashion of the 19th-century bourgeoisie.
Key facts
- Claude Monet painted 'Femmes au jardin' in 1866 at age 26.
- The canvas measures 255 x 205 centimeters, a monumental format then reserved for history painting.
- Monet painted outdoors in Ville d'Avray, digging a trench and using a pulley to work on the upper sections.
- The trench and pulley technique likely caused early damage, discovered during recent restoration by C2RMF researchers.
- The painting anticipates Impressionism through colored shadows and light effects.
- Émile Zola wrote a Salon review praising the painting's bold handling of light and shadow.
- The three women on the left are all portraits of Camille Doncieux, Monet's future wife.
- Infrared reflectography showed that the far-left figure was added later by the artist.
- The dresses in the painting also appear in 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe,' painted the same year.
Entities
Artists
- Claude Monet
- Camille Doncieux
- Émile Zola
Institutions
- C2RMF
Locations
- Ville d'Avray
- France