Claude Monet - Embankment of the Seine near Lavacourt

Claude Monet (1840-1926), was a French painter, one of the founders and the most consequent representative of Impressionism . His first teacher was Eugène Boudin who encouraged him to 'en plein air' (outdoor landscape) painting. He was also a friend of August Renoir – they were connected by the common direction in painting – Impressionism.
In 1872 one of his greatest works had been created – the painting under the title 'Impression, Sunrise', which later gave the name to the whole art movement.
His style was based on a continual study of color and light and their mutual relations. Monet was painting spirits, things that are elusive and changeable. On the canvas he was using one motif many times at various times of the day in order to bring out subtle differences in light and shadow. He was also fascinated by light reflections in the water, which he was finding mostly in his own pond near his house in the garden near Giverny.