Degas and Monet in 1873: two paintings two universes

Right: Portraits in a New Orleans Cotton office, 1873, by Degas

Left: Boulevard des Capucines, 1873, by Monet

Both paintings dated 1873 each depicting a moment in time, a transitory moment.

Monet give us the lights and colours of this fraction of time at the street and Degas, a more narrative description of what each person was doing in this moment of time showing 14 men working at his uncle's cotton office.

" Michael Musson is sitting in the foreground, checking the cotton; René de Gas is reading the paper; Achille de Gas is leaning by the window; Musson’s partner James Prestridge is on a stool, discussing a deal with a client. Musson’s son-in-law, William Bell, is offering the wares to a client, to inspect the quality." (here)

Once again we can see that the Impressionism is a group of painters that shared same concerns but each one has a history and a whole universe of their own.

Monet or not Monet?

Monet! Sure, Monet!

Genius! The ice melting is so great!

Left: The Ice Floes, 1880

Right: The Boats Regatta at Argenteuil, 1872.

I don't believe it is a Monet!

Usually some aspects of an artist is known and others are forgotten. Claude Monet is known for portraying the nympheas, or water lilies, and for painting the Rouen Cathedral in different times of the day which gave him different lights that colored and formed new shapes of the cathedral. Also because he was a little bit weird, authored the painting that gave the title "Impressionism" to the group and did some works of women in the garden and... some other facts.

I believe that for fully appreciating and understanding an artist seeing his works is the key.

When I say to myself "I don't believe it is a -name of the artist-" I have some seconds of pure joy.

right: Apples and Grapes, 1880.

left: Set of Tea, 1877, by Claude Monet

Nympheas murals by Monet experience

Hi! I have been away for a while and felt like starting again by Monet's nympheas series.

He did about 250 paintings and these 8 murals I had the joy of seeing. I cannot explain in words what I felt. I was there looking in all directions. One panel another and another and the whole. I could not fix my attention in any of them but what I felt was so intense and good that I still carry it with me. I looked at the others who were there and I noticed that a kind of bond united us all.

I hope you can have an idea of what is being at this place and feel the same.

""It took me time to understand my waterlilies. I had planted them for the pleasure of it; I grew them without ever thinking of painting them." Claude Monet

Women reading as theme for painters

This is a preview of a post I am doing about women reading. Put your mouse at each painting an you will see the title and the name of the painter at the status bar. Yes, the biggest is Maria Magdalena reading the bible, a 1500-10 painting by Piero di Cosimo. This is very interesting that he did this work after Dan Brown's discover. :) The animated .gif is just for fun. Have a great and peaceful weekend.

Monet's house at Giverny

When I joined Second Life I went to Monet's house at Giverny and wrote this post about the place. I went there again a while ago and unfortunately didn't take pictures of the Mary Cassat's exhibition that was there. Now I'm taking pictures of the few art that is still there because the place is getting bigger but art is disappearing. At the first photo, top-left, they added "weddings, furnishing and gifts" at "Chez - Monet". Next photo is a place for music and I took this Bach's picture at my back from outside the window because the others are pictures of the owner. I also sat in front of a Van Gogh's painting and stood up in front of Toulouse Lautrec's drawings. The last photo is of a new garden that was build. I can no longer see any connection to Monet and the impressionists when I visit this place. (click the pictures to enlarge)

Monet House at Giverny

Right: Monet painting of the Japanese bridge he projected for his famous garden at Giverny where he lived most of his life. Left: Photograph of a pathway at the garden.