Famous Art Painter "Claude Monet"

 Claude Monet was born November 14, 1840 in Paris, France. Monet grew up quickly and first attended the Le Havre School of the Arts in 1851 where he was already we'll known for selling charcoal caricatures to the locals that fell in love with this young Monet's artwork. In 1857 Monet met a gentleman by the name of Eugine Bouvdin who first introduced Monet to use oil paints in creating outdoor scenes. Claude's Mother died when he was only 16 years old and shortly there after is when Claude went to the Famous Louvre in Paris, France to study other Famous Painters of the time. Claude Monet lived in Paris, France for several years frequently visiting the Louvre and befriending many of the local Artists including the famous artist Edouard Manet.

After a brief stint in the Calvary, Claude Monet went on to a University to study Art. Not happy with his studies, Monet became a student of the Great Charles Gleyre who was experimenting in new styles of painting. He also befriended 3 other local painters by the names of Frederic Bazille, Alfred Sisley and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Together this team of painting artist's kept experimenting with light effects consisting of using broken colors with fast paste brush strokes which is now known as Impressionism style of painting.

Claude Monet's First Famous Painting

The first painting that Monet painted that brought him the recognition of his unique style, was a painted in 1866 of his future Wife Carmille Donciux. Monet called it "The Women in the Green Dress" or simply "Carmelle". Monet's Wife also went on to pose for other famous paintings including "The Women in the Garden" and "On the bank of the Seine". Monet's different techniques of using brilliant colors of light within his paintings was not yet we'll accepted in the Art Community and in 1871 Claude Monet's paintings were refused to be admitted in the Royal Academy Exhibition. Some say Monet's paintings were we'll ahead of it's time.

Claude Monet went on to paint several very famous paintings in the 1870's including his Sons portrait "Jean Monet on his Hobby Horse" , "The Artists House at Argenteuil" , "Madame Monet in a Japanese Costume"  and the very famous painting "Camille Monet on her deathbed" which Monet finished painting shortly before she died in 1879. Claude Monet would later go on to Marry Alice Hoschede who helped him raise his two sons Jean and Michael along with 6 children of her own. In 1883 moved his Family to Normandy where he planted a very large garden that was his inspiration of many of his famous paintings he painted until his death in 1926. In his own backyard is where he painted the famous painting series of the Haystack which he painted several times from different points of view and at different times of the day to reflect the bright daylight colors. Monet also painted several other famous art paintings including the Water Lillies and several paintings of the Seine which ran through his property. Monet's famous garden and water Lilly pond is now one of the main attractions for tourist's when visiting Giverny. 

Several of Monet's Paintings now command Multi-Million Dollar price tags which attracts art collectors from all around the World. One of his famous paintings, the "Falaises près de Dieppe (Cliffs near Dieppe)" has been stolen on two different occasions within the last 10 years adding to the mystique of Monet's paintings. It first vanished in 1998 when the museum curator was convicted of taking the painting and again in 2007 which to this day is still a mystery to it's location.

Claude Monet set a New World Record for His Painting of the "Le bassin aux nymphéas" which was painted on his farm in 1873 and part of his Water Lilly Collection. The painting sold at Christies Auction House in 2008 for a record $80.4 Million Dollars making it his most valuable painting to date. Monet is one of the few artists where several of his paintings have sold in excess of 8 figures for a single painting.

Below is a few videos about Claude Monet and his style of painting.

here's a list of famous painting's by Claude Monet. Click on the picture to see an upclose view.