Apart from J. M. W. Turner, no other artist strove as hard as Claude Monet (1840-1926) to depict light directly on paint. Cezanne's "just an eye, but my God what an eye!" was the only Impressionist who adhered to the idea of absolute faithfulness to the visual impression, painting straight from the object.
Monet could be said to have reimagined color's potential. Whether it was his early interest in Japanese prints, his time as a conscript in the dazzling light of Algeria, or his personal acquaintance with the major painters of the late nineteenth century, Monet's work would forever change the way we perceive both the natural world and its attendant phenomena. The late series of water lilies, painted in his own garden at Giverny, are considered the birth of abstract painting due to their approach toward nearly total formlessness.
This book fully honors this unique and profoundly influential artist, with numerous reproductions and historical pictures, as well as a detailed and incisive discussion.