The warmth of the rising sun, the chirping of the birds, and the slow and salient waves of the oceans.
Doesn’t it all sound dreamy?
If you have experienced a sunrise, then you can actually feel what I am talking about!
And that is what Claude Monet tried to express when he painted one of his most famous paintings, which he titled “Impression Sunrise”.
Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet is a painting that was close to his heart and it also embarked his journey as an impressionist.
Paintings by Claude Monet showcased the use of Impressionism and modern art as well.
Impression in art is when an artist draws what they see and what they feel a specific person or place should look like.
Monet’s Impressionist Sunrise is one of his best creations of all time, and under it lies the tale of Impressionism and Inspiration.
So, let us dig deeper into Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet.
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Table of contents
About Claude The Impressionist
Oscar-Claude Monet, an artist by heart and Impressionist by style, was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris.
From his early years he was heavily influenced by art and created some of the most famous paintings of all time.
He was the founder of Impressionism, which later became the foundation of modern art.
His life was full of ups and downs, yet his artwork always gave off serene vibes and calmness to the viewers.
Monet was inspired by other impressionists like Edouard Manet and Pissarro, who helped Monet brush up on his artistic skills.
Claude Monet later became one of the most famous French artists.
Unfortunately, Claude Monet died of lung cancer on December 5, 1926.
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“Impression, Sunrise, 1872”
Impression Sunrise is a painting created by Claude Monet in 1872.
This is the scene that he saw from his window, and he decided to preserve it on his canvas.
Impression Sunrise depicts the port of Le Havre, Monet’s hometown, as he visited there in 1872.
He then worked on a series of six paintings that depicted the ongoing work at the port.
The six painted canvases were titled “during dawn, day, dusk, and dark and from varying viewpoints, some from the water and others from a hotel room.”
Amid these paintings, Impression Sunrise became the most famous after it debuted in the exhibition of impressionists in 1874.
Claude Monet has claimed that he has titled the painting Impression, Sunrise, as he has painted in an abstract way and the depiction of the subject is not quite clear.
He said that, “They asked me to suggest a title for the catalog, but that can definitely not be taken as a view of Le Havre, so I said put Impression.”
Even after this, Claude Monet faced backlash and criticism for claiming his work as Impression as an excuse for the lack of details.
When you look at Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet, you can sense that the painter tried to depict the early morning fog.
But, in reality, the city of Le Havre was filled with industrial smoke.
Claude Monet was highly influenced by Eugene Boudin and Johan Jongkind.
Fun fact: The painting was an impression of what Claude actually saw from his window, and all the elements depict one or the other thing.
Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet is now housed in the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.
Here’s a quick fact about the painting:
Impression Sunrise by Monet was stolen in 1985 from the Musée Marmottan Monet by Youssef Khimoun and Philippe Jamin.
The painting was safely recovered, returned to the museum in 1990, and was back on board in 1991.
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Analysis Through Waves
Claude Monet was known for his series of paintings, like Water lilies, Haystacks, etc. And in every painting, he finds an element to focus on.
So, when you take a look at Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet, you will see the emphasis on the waves and reflections in the water surface.
This depicts the commencement of sunrise, and to your surprise, Monet drew this particular painting in one sitting, and that too by standing at the window looking down the harbor at sunrise.
Impression Sunrise is a painting that displays and portrays a variety of impressionist traits and factors.
The first being, Monet was not at all trying to replicate the scene, whatever he drew was his impression of the port.
There is no other element that points towards life than the fact that we can see the oarsman or fisherman in the ocean.
When you look in the distance, you can also see fishing boats and other ships with tall masts.
The focal element of Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet is the bright red sun.
On the left side of the painting, you can see some smudged structures that are not trees or bushes, but the smoke and mist from the chimneys and masts of the ships that were sailing around.
In conclusion, it is said that it was a depiction of a newly industrialized port after the war.
Significance of Monet’s Brushwork
The way Claude Monet has depicted the port of Le Havre is confusing and exciting at the same time.
His brush strokes, as the critics called them, are rough and chaotic.
But if you take a look at Impression Sunrise from the perspective of an Impressionist, you can see the details and the way Monet has portrayed a scene of sunrise.
One thing you can notice, which is often very confusing, is the fact that you can not actually assume whether it is a scene from sunset or sunrise.
But, it was clearly stated that Claude has drawn this specific painting from the window of his room, and the scene is from a harbor.
On the top of the canvas, you can notice the use of broad brush strokes, also, Monet did not paint everything he saw.
You can literally see that he has smudged the fog that accumulated due to the masts and chimneys of the ships.
He has also excluded houses that were underlying on the left side just because he thought that they were not perfect for his canvas.
He has used a bold color, ‘red’ that immediately draws the viewer’s attention towards the sun.
And at the end, like other impressionists, Claude Monet has used black to emphasize the rowing boats and men.
The black color is used to draw attention to the elements that signal life.
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Exhibition of the Impressionists
During the struggle to get their work noticed, many artists and impressionists tried to reach out to the Salon (exhibition) held by the Academy des Beaux-Arts.
By 1874, Claude Monet, Pissarro, Degas, and Renoir had organized an exhibition that displayed 165 works by 30 artists.
They primarily included and introduced Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet, which was the main painting responsible for the ideation and creation of the term ‘Impressionism’ which gave birth to Impressionist artists.
The venue for this exhibition was the Rue de Capucines in Paris.
The place belonged to Monet’s friend Nadar, who was a caricaturist and a photographer. He was vacating his three-story studio.
Monet saw a chance and established it as the venue for the exhibition.
Edmond, a journalist who was Renoir’s brother, was responsible for the creation of the catalog.
The catalog was titled “Premiere Exposition,” with other details written underneath.
The exhibition was conducted from April 15, 1874, until May 15, 1874.
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Conclusion (Sunset)
Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet remains one of the most decorated and expensive paintings in the world.
Its serenity and the setting in which Monet has created this painting automatically ease the viewer’s eyes when they take a look at it!
Claude Monet was a prolific painter and, moreover, an artist!
His artistic vision was way ahead of its time.
Not only this, but some of his paintings now decorate the walls of the Louvre and many other prestigious museums.
Would you like to decorate the walls of your living room with Impression Sunrise by Monet?
I am pretty sure that you must be thinking about how you can get your hands on the painting!
Well, you surely can’t cop the original painting, but what if I told you that you can get a replica of Impression Sunrise, and that too museum quality?
Sounds legit, right?
Make sure to check the replica of Impression Sunrise,
Now, whenever someone says sunrise, I am pretty sure that this beautiful painting by Monet will cross your mind.
This was about Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet; I hope you enjoyed reading it!
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Author’s Signing Off
Thank you so much for reading about the famous painting by Claude Monet, titled “Impression, Sunrise”.
If you find this blog helpful or if you have any questions/ feedback regarding it, then do leave a comment down below.
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See you soon; till then, take care and stay hydrated.
Adios folks!
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FAQs
The painting of Impression, Sunrise was made by none other than Claude Monet.
The painting Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet was originally titled Impression, Soleil Levant.
Claude Monet painted this beautiful artwork in 1872.
The cost of this serene artwork by Claude Monet, titled: Impression Sunrise, is US$250-350 million
Claude Monet was an Impressionist, and not only that, he was the one who started the movement of Impressionism, and he was also an artist who created modern art.
