Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River

Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River by Aurisch, Helga. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780300207835.

During his career, French artist Claude Monet (1840–1926) used the Seine as his testing ground for documenting on canvas the transformative effects of light and atmosphere. He produced many ethereal, evocative, and poetic paintings of the meandering river, which remained his favorite subject and also provided solace throughout his life. This beautiful book brings together fifty of Monet’s most glorious paintings of the Seine, from the early works focusing on Argenteuil, Le Havre, and Paris, to the works on Lavacourt and Vétheuil, and culminating with the stunningly beautiful works that make up the acclaimed series Mornings on the Seine, which depicts an intimate stretch of the river near Giverny. These paintings not only offer special glimpses into Monet’s creative process but also introduce the concept of the series—a concept that would influence the art of future generations. Monet and the Seine features gorgeously reproduced images and engaging essays by four distinguished scholars.