Claude Monet

Claude Monet was born in 1840, in Paris. In 1845 his family moved to Le Havre. In 1856 he begins his educations and consequently came into contact with plein-air painter Eugène Boudin, who is known to have been of great influence on Monet and his passion for landscapes mainly. In 1859 Monet decided he wanted a painter's career and he left for Paris, where he continued his studies in the Atelier Suisse. In 1862 Monet met Jongkind, Sisley, Renoir, Manet and Pisarro.

Monet's earlier work was influenced by the innovative movement in landscape painting: The Barbizon School. Members of the movement were known to focus on the atmosphere of a landscape, as did Monet in his efforts to capture the atmosphere and light of one, single moment. In 1870 Monet left for London to escape the French-German war. Here, he met painters as Turner and Constable who turned out to be of great influence on him as well. In 1871 Monet returned to France. During his life Monet experienced many critical comments on his work, yet he lived a prosperous life. From 1922 onward his sight began to diminish, which he regained in 1923 after having surgery. This allowed him to produce a great number of paintings after this period up until his death in 1926.