A Love Letter To Monet’s Water Lilies

When in Paris, I visited a few museums however, it was Musee de l’Orangerie that really spoke out to me. It is located at the back of the Jardin de Tuileries near the Louvre. The ground floor of the gallery consists only of two oval shaped rooms resembling an infinity sign from above and containing 8 of Claude Monet’s water lily paintings stretching out all over the walls.

The expansive artwork filling the walls with continuous water lilies created an all encompassing atmosphere in the room. The addition of no fixed centre, horizon or point of reference results in the viewer being unable to orientate themselves thus fully immersing you in the artwork.

These paintings covering a vast distance were painted mostly from Monet’s memory as he could not be outside all year long. In light of this, the viewer is able to see the water lilies from the perspective of Monet rather than his accurate representation. If I was to return to Paris, I would definitely make an effort to visit Monet’s house and gardens that are located on the outskirts of the city. There you can see the inspiration for these paintings and I believe the best time to see the gardens would be in summer to experience what Monet did in the early 1900’s.

One of the most mesmerising parts of the exhibition was its lighting. The natural light flows in from the window in the roof as per Monet’s wishes for the display after his death. The lack of artificial light also emphasises the natural setting Monet places us within.

To further the atmospheric feel, you are also asked to remain silent when in the room thus radiating a level of tranquility amongst the environment.

Above and below I have included some up close details of specific water lilies, in which the pastel colours create a romanticised atmosphere. These oil brush strokes although dynamic when inspected in close proximity, look seamless from a distance. You can denote here that a pure white colour is used sparingly and therefore you eye is drawn towards those with a clear bright tone that resemble flowers.