Claude Monet was one of the leading artists of the 19th century Impressionist movement. In fact, it was Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise (1872) that gave the movement its name. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Monet's various deviations from the norm, such as his use of color, light, and composition, created nontraditional focal points. His earlier works reveal what we today call Monet's established style. The relationship between the painting Woman with a Parasol (1875) and Monet was not simply that of artist, subject, and canvas. The woman was actually his first wife Camille. It depicts his wife and son beautifully painted on canvas with unique brushstroke techniques, use of color, light and composition. Monet often used his own family as a subject in his works to explore artistry, technique and as an expression of life as it unfolded around him. Giving the viewer a glimpse of the world through Monet's eyes. A master at capturing moments in time, with light and color coupled with repetitive brushstrokes of bright colors, is an undeniable style of Monet. However, these moments captured on canvas opened the door for the advancement of more current movements such as 20th century modernism. Monet's unique style and brush technique also strongly influenced American artists, including William Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, and Frank Weston Benson, who studied Monet in France and eventually brought the Impressionists' newly learned painting technique back to the States. -United to create American impressionism. At first glance, what appear to be random, haphazard brushstrokes are actually strategically created for a specific purpose. The left side of the painting features a group of clouds that could be considered a potential distraction. But Monet's skillful strokes make what seems strange, uniquely beautiful. Dry-brush-like strokes create clouds that dance across the sky with stunning detail and realism. This is perhaps proof that Monet was more interested in light and color than in line or form. Monet's use of living subjects outdoors in natural light while having common experiences of everyday life gave way to a style that is unmistakably Monet. Oil paintings, painted directly on canvas outdoors and in the subject's natural light, were not a common practice among artists of the time. Although Monet began his paintings outdoors, he was accustomed to finishing them in his studio. Woman with a Parasol presents Monet as a masterful colorist combining natural light to create a story that radiates passion and life. The reflections of the woman's dress clearly determine the direction of the sunlight, as do the white top of her parasol and the yellow reflections of the daisies. Likewise, the yellow reflections of grass are perceived as reflections of light. The touches of yellow giving the impression of shimmering yellow reflections on her white dress coming from the flowers under her feet. Monet did not literally paint each blade of grass, but simply suggested blowing green grass with splashes of bright colors and hues to create depth. These traits indicate a strong impressionist style. A style that is expressed through the use of unique colors and techniques. Let's also examineclever use of shadows. The shadow of the parasol helps clearly define the center of this composition, as the viewer's eye moves easily from the dark green beneath the parasol to the shadows beneath her flowing dress. The shadow on his face and on the left side of the painting creates a perfect balance that helps anchor the high-contrast blue sky. Subtle color variations with strokes of other colors that appear dark from a distance, but are actually made up of many other color variations. Monet never used black, but it was the color variation that gave the illusion of black or darkness in the shadows. Monet captures the natural light of the moment from a unique low angel perspective that captivates the viewer and draws us in for an intimate, close-up look. This composition gives the viewer the perfect visual of the wind blowing gently across an open landscape while the veil blows across their face. The position of the subjects looking towards the viewer (or towards Monet the painter) helps to create a breathtaking personality. Low horizon lines dominate the blue sky and the curved lines of the dress lead the viewer from the sky to the green grass below. The young boy standing below the horizon line creates depth and places the woman higher on the hill. The curved lines in the clouds, dress and grass also create a calming energy of peace. It is also important to note that Monet's success as an impressionist lay in his ability to paint the world as he saw it. Knowing the relationship between Monet and the circumstances in which he was able to paint “The Woman with a Parasol” leads to very interesting conclusions. One of them being the depression and stress related to the financial difficulties that Monet experienced while creating this masterpiece. Shortly after the birth of his son Jean in 1868, Monet attempted suicide. A few years later, his beloved wife, Camille, fell ill and died while pregnant. This set of circumstances opens our eyes to a new experience in looking at Monet's paintings through the struggles of this great impressionist. There are some very interesting suggestions of symbolism used by Monet that could allude to some of the circumstances that certainly could have consumed him at the time. The choice of family as the subject on this sunny day could suggest that Monet wanted to capture a precious moment that might be fleeting. Truly capturing the essence of quality family time is no easy task, even with today's technological advancements. Notice how Monet's wife holds the parasol to protect herself from the sun, could this be a symbol of status or even protection. Why the veil? Is this also protecting her from something or is she hiding something? The viewer should also notice the subtle colors like the pink of her dress or the red and green of the son's hat. What do these subtle colors do for painting? Would painting be different without these subtleties? Could the light color of her dress, which closely resembles a wedding dress, symbolize purity? Set in one of the most romantic and picturesque locations in the world, Monet uses the beautiful landscape of a Parisian suburb to tell a story of love and adoration by taking a "snapshot" of his beloved wife and her young son taking a walk. This moment seems to see someone looking at Camille adoringly. It is as if Monet was paying homage to his wife before her illness and death. Landscapes were a favorite subject of Monet. He grew up in the French countryside and knew its beauty well. He often uses relationships.