This art piece done by Monet is an early impressionistic painting.

In the mid 19th century,

impressionism pushed boundaries on what it meant to be valuable art, which eventually changed
the view of art forever. On the canvas you can see the brush marks that give the work a painterly
effect and give off the intended feeling of the scene. This movement capitalized on the non
realistic and non-descript by making the work seem fuzzy, hazy and casual. The use of pastels
and light colors gives many of the works a bright and pleasant feeling. Instead of reading exactly
what the image says the audience gets an overall feeling or impression of the piece.
Even though it was a new style, it did not forget where it originates: still lives. Typically
the still lives seen in the 18th century were done inside with tables of food half eaten, the style of
painting included dramatic and dark colors with no visible brush strokes. The realism in the
painting is what gave it value. Instead of being avant-garde, symbolic or eerie, impressionism
focused on the light and airiness of the piece. The artists focused on easily identifiable subjects
that felt very real and relatable. These scenes were of everyday things like people, flowers,
beaches, streets, haystacks, picnics and so much more.
The French word, Plein - in open air, describes the way in which most impressionism
art was created. This meant that artists went out into nature to paint what was occurring naturally
within a setting, it wasnt staged or placed they just painted what was in front of them. Artwork
reflected the natural light, the feelings of being there and the nice weather. It represented a
fleeting moment that could be lost within the light or shadows, but the artist worked fast and you
can tell from their products that they truly enjoyed working out in nature. This was a new way of
creating and enlightening the world at the beauty surrounding them. With the movement towards
natural and relatable all viewers can understand this period of work.

Monet was a champion of the impressionist movement, his artwork is still the best know
and highly valued today. He was described as a radical of his time, blazing new paths in the art
world during his lifetime between 1840-1926. His artwork was done in series, visualizing the
effects of light on a particular subject. He would paint the same haystack with several different
lighting backgrounds testing what time of day was best and which light he liked best. Monet was
the type of man who would try something and if it pleased him he would become obsessed. He
tells stories of his honeymoon and becoming obsessed with painting the beaches with his wife. I
admire his passions that become obsession because I feel that way sometimes as well.
Some of his paintings were available for viewing at the Legion of Honor when we visited
on our class fieldtrip, this is what sparked my interest in him. Unfortunately, The Luncheon,
created in 1868, was not featured at the museum but in researching him and looking through the
class PowerPoints I found this piece. I was instantly taken but the subtle beauty and calm of the
painting. It was not as burly as some of his other impressionistic works, this one was a little
clearer. The late afternoon shade looks delightful from the gentle nature of the shadows and
sunspots. The shadows are an important indication that this scene is outside rather than in a
studio, the direction and color of the shadow allow us to analyze that. It appears that the subjects
have just finished a lunch in the yard and have decided it is now time for relaxation; you can see
his son playing with blocks in the foreground and his wife taking a visitor on a walk through the
garden in the background. The flowers, trees and casual lunch scene give the feelings of peace,
serenity, love, and joy. I can tell from this snapshot in time that this family is not stuffy or overly
wealthy, they have nice things but the pleasant ease of the scene tells me they are not too proper.
The food displayed on the table in this painting is simple, much like the overall artwork.
It is not overwhelming or spilling over the table. On the table we can see a tablecloth, a pitcher

with glasses, bread, bowls and plates and a vase of fruits. The food looks appetizing, though
there is not much left because the guests have enjoyed most of it. We can tell this is a light lunch
not a very heavy meal full of meats and casseroles. Also it is important to note this is a
traditional kind of French lunch consisting of bread, cheese, meats and fruits. This modest lunch
reflects the day: bright, easy and light. The bread looks homemade because there are no wrappers
and the fruit in a vase makes it feel as if they were picked only yesterday from the garden. The
dishware is fancy enough to tell us that they have money but are not flashy and showy. These are
the kind of people who take their time and enjoy entertaining. For them it is not the act of eating
but the gathering of friends that is important. For Monet, his artwork and cooking were an
extension of his love for people to take pleasure in. It seems like a garden luncheon I would like
to attend!



Works cited:
Bordman, Aileen. "Monet's Palate." Claude Monet, Gourmet & Impressionist Artist. N.p., n.d.
Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
FitzGerald, Desmond. Claude Monet: Master of Impressionism. Brush and Pencil. Vol. 15,
No. 3 (Mar., 1905), pp. 181-195. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25503805
Lyon, Christopher. Unveiling Monet. The Museum of Modern Art. No. 7 (Spring, 1991), pp.
14-23 http://www.jstor.org/stable/4381148