Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies

In 1893, a French impressionist named Claude Monet decided to purchase a plot of land containing a beautiful pond near his property located in Giverny, France. His intent was to create something "for the pleasure of the eye and also for motifs to paint"(MET) and that is exactly what he did. Monet built a breathtaking garden, including his water-lily pond. From this "Eden," he made a series of over 200 paintings depicting the serenity emanating from this blissful scene. In 1899, Monet painted twelve pieces of the footbridge and the pond. One of these paintings is called Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies and is 36 1/2 by 29 inches in size. This painting allows the viewer to look at nature in a different way, though Monet's eyes.

Claude Monet is a famous French artist that is known for being one of the leaders in the Impressionism movement. He fully rejected the traditional approach to painting nature and landscapes, which was used incessantly by the artists that came before him. Monet immersed himself into his work, growing and learning as he went. For the most part, his paintings take place outside of his studio taking full advantage of what nature has to offer. His water lily series is a prime example of what Monet believed in: nature's endless possibilities. Monet was quoted saying, "For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at any moment." He looked at nature's unpredictability as a challenge, a challenge that he would strive to meet.

Interestingly enough, Monet's Water Lilies series was painted later in his career, at a time when the artist was developing cataracts. Having observed several Monet paintings, I can see how this series is much more abstract in comparison to his earlier works. Some attribute this abstractness to his failing eyesight; however, it is also quite possible that Monet simply appreciating the scene for colors alone.

At first glance of Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies, the viewer is immediately immersed into Monet's world of rich colors. The pond is comprised of many blurry, merging brush strokes forming an abstract mist of color that exudes serenity. Even the background and the bridge are calm and picturesque in their own way. Looking closely at Monet's brush strokes, the viewer feels a stronger sense of connection with the painting. His strokes emit a sense of freedom and allow for a dream-like feeling to encompass those who appreciate it. The viewer is left in amazement at his attention to detail and the thousands of strokes of color that go into the painting.

In terms of its composition, there is no specific arrangement to the piece. The only section of this piece that resembles a focal point is on the left side of the painting where the water lilies are brighter than the rest. Aside from this, there isn't a true focal point or any particular way the eye travels around the painting;