Monet

Celebrated as the "Prince of Impressionists," Claude Monet (1840-1926) broke with traditional conventions and expectations by capturing not only reality in his paintings but also the act of perception itself. With quick, wild brushstrokes "en plein air," he captured how light transforms colors, patterns, and contours, affecting the human eye. Monet was interested in the space between the subject and the artist, in the fleeting nature of our perception. In his famous series of water lilies, as well as in paintings of poplars, haystacks, and the cathedral of Rouen, he painted the same subject at different times of the year and under varying weather conditions to explore the constant transformation of our visual environment. This book offers a solid introduction to the oeuvre of an artist who reflected on the meaning and purpose of a painting as well as the passage of time, thereby steering art in a new direction.

About the series: Since its first publication in 1985, the Basic Art Series has become the best-selling art book series of all time. Each title in TASCHEN's Basic Art Series includes a detailed chronological summary of the artist's life and work, acknowledging their cultural and historical significance, a succinct biography, and approximately 100 color illustrations with explanatory captions.