Giverny & Impressionism: Monet and the Artistic Revolution

What is Impressionism?

Impressionism is a painting movement born in France in the 1860s–70s. A radical break from academic painting, it privileges the fleeting capture of light, vibrant colours and visible brushstrokes. The term "Impressionist" comes from Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise (1872), used ironically by a critic — and proudly reclaimed by the movement.

Impressionists paint en plein air — outdoors, directly in front of the subject — to capture the shifting natural light at different times of day. Monet took this principle to its extreme with his series: Rouen Cathedrals, Haystacks, and above all the Water Lilies.

Monet at Giverny: 43 Years of Creation

When Monet arrived in Giverny in 1883, he was 42 years old and searching for a stable place to work. He rented the house at first, then bought it in 1890. It was here that he produced his most revolutionary works — the series paintings that show the same subject at different hours and seasons.

In 1893 he bought a plot of land across the road and began creating the water garden. Despite opposition from local residents who feared his "exotic plants" would poison the water, he obtained municipal approval and created his masterpiece landscape.

Between 1914 and 1926, despite a cataract that increasingly impaired his vision, Monet produced the enormous canvases of the Grandes Décorations (the Water Lilies). These 22 panels cover 91 metres in length and are today displayed at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris in oval rooms designed personally by Monet.

Museum of Impressionisms Giverny

A short walk from Monet's house, the Museum of Impressionisms Giverny (formerly the American Art Museum) hosts high-quality temporary exhibitions on French and American Impressionism. Don't miss it during your visit.

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