‘Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment. To such an extent indeed that one day, finding myself at the deathbed of a woman who had been and still was very dear to me, I caught myself in the act of focusing on her temples and automatically analyzing the succession of appropriately graded colors which death was imposing on her motionless face.”
Camille on her deathbed
Monet believed that relentless in his pursuit.
I know that to paint the sea really well, you need to look at it every hour of every day in the same place so that you can understand its way in that particular spot and that is why I am working on the same motifs over and over again, four or six times even.
and
We’re having marvelous weather and I wish I could send you a little of the sunshine. I am slaving away on six paintings a day. I’m giving myself a hard time over it as I haven’t yet managed to capture the color of this landscape, there are moments when I’m appalled at the colors I’m having to use, I’m afraid what I’m doing is just dreadful and yet I really am understating it; the light is simply terrifying.”
those lillies ‘digging and delving’:-
It’s on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.”
I like the way Mone
yellow iris’
“I love you because you are you, and because you taught me how to understand light. Thus you increased me. I regret I cannot give it back to you. Paint, paint ever and ever untill the canvas wears out. My eyes need your color and my heart is happy about you.”
houses of parliment effect of sunlight in the fog
In 1923 he had two operations on his cataracts, this may have altered his colour vision. His colours before the operation have a reddish tone, sometimes indicative of cataracts. My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece. Everything I have earned has gone into these gardens.
He loved Giverny, which is on the right bank of the river Seine and especially his gardens of which he was the architect and so able to dictate his own controlled environment.
wisteria
I am following Nature without being able to grasp her…I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”
He died aged in 1826 A true legacy.
“I’m working very hard and I would like to paint everything before I cannot see anymore.”
Thanks Leslie – I’m a massive fan of his pallette – pity we haven’t got his colours in our font. My type wasn’t showing up, so I’ve used yellow. There’s always something disappearing here. Thank for visiting – appreciated very much!
Thanks Elizabeth – glad you enjoyed it1 He certainly suffered regarding his health poor thing. I think I understand what he means by observence too. When I was at Uni we always had the same life model: over time we came to know her and her poses by painting and drawing her over and over again. If ever we were a bit short on the portfolio, we could always run up a few drawings of her! Secrets’s out eh- shocking!! Kind of ‘life’ drawing from memory…. Thanks very much for visiting and commenting, it’s very much appreciated!
To me, Monet is like the batting of a butterfly’s wing… half ethereal, half perceived, and wholly other-worldly. I loved your post. Please do some more on painting… I would love one on Klimt or Caravaggio… (am also thinking about posting one of my essays on them). Hugs and kisses!
Love Caravagio! what an artist and such a colourful life! The master of shadows. Klimt’s aethetic is just beautiful. I will feature these artists – yes good idea Jadepaloma! So many artists and not enough time. I have pledged to only do artists I actually like, which whittles them down a bit. I did feature Piet Mondrian though, because I think his contribution important. Thanks for stopping by – what do you think of my new liquerice and violet theme? can you smell it? aren’t wordpress wonderful! (that’s yet another hint wordpress) heheh!
Licorice and violet… that sounds beyond delicious. I think you are a Serge Lutens girl ;-). If you haven’t tried anything by him yet, please do. May I suggest Un Bois de Violette? And Un Bois Vanille? (Why choose when you can always have both :-))) ). Very glad to have met you! You are an inspiring woman…
I just finished writing about Monet on my blog and I wish I’d found your quotes while I was writing. I’ve been researching all the main Impressionist painters and their lives are so interesting and their paintings are all so beautiful.
Camille on her deathbed
those lillies ‘digging and delving’:- 
yellow iris’houses of parliment effect of sunlight in the fog
wisteria
Echostains Blog 
i didn’t know much about monet.
its really interesting stuff
Hey whilst you were looking into the light – I was trying to look through that dark doorway of yours lol
Monet is one of my favorites, Lynda. Thank-you for this post of quotes!
Thanks Leslie – I’m a massive fan of his pallette – pity we haven’t got his colours in our font. My type wasn’t showing up, so I’ve used yellow. There’s always something disappearing here. Thank for visiting – appreciated very much!
Thank you for this fresh and succinct approach to Monet’s work.
I learned a lot.
I was especially inspired by his plea to observe, daily, the same thing.
And I had no idea he had cataracts – poor man.
Thanks Elizabeth – glad you enjoyed it1 He certainly suffered regarding his health poor thing. I think I understand what he means by observence too. When I was at Uni we always had the same life model: over time we came to know her and her poses by painting and drawing her over and over again. If ever we were a bit short on the portfolio, we could always run up a few drawings of her! Secrets’s out eh- shocking!! Kind of ‘life’ drawing from memory…. Thanks very much for visiting and commenting, it’s very much appreciated!
To me, Monet is like the batting of a butterfly’s wing… half ethereal, half perceived, and wholly other-worldly. I loved your post. Please do some more on painting… I would love one on Klimt or Caravaggio… (am also thinking about posting one of my essays on them). Hugs and kisses!
Love Caravagio! what an artist and such a colourful life! The master of shadows. Klimt’s aethetic is just beautiful. I will feature these artists – yes good idea Jadepaloma! So many artists and not enough time. I have pledged to only do artists I actually like, which whittles them down a bit. I did feature Piet Mondrian though, because I think his contribution important. Thanks for stopping by – what do you think of my new liquerice and violet theme? can you smell it? aren’t wordpress wonderful! (that’s yet another hint wordpress) heheh!
Licorice and violet… that sounds beyond delicious. I think you are a Serge Lutens girl ;-). If you haven’t tried anything by him yet, please do. May I suggest Un Bois de Violette? And Un Bois Vanille? (Why choose when you can always have both :-))) ). Very glad to have met you! You are an inspiring woman…
Serge Lutens – I’m going to check some of these perfumes out Jadepaloma – in fact I’ve wrote them down. Thanks for the compliment – and I pay it back!
I just finished writing about Monet on my blog and I wish I’d found your quotes while I was writing. I’ve been researching all the main Impressionist painters and their lives are so interesting and their paintings are all so beautiful.
Yes, I’m a big fan myself Jen – thanks for visiting and good luck with your blog, keep at it:)