8 Things You Didn’t Know About Claude Monet

claude monetClaude Monet.  Just his name brings to mind the Impressionist beauty that he created over the years.  But, as always, behind every interesting piece of art is an even more interesting artist.  Here are some fun facts about Monet.

1. His first name was actually the hyphenated “Oscar-Claude”.  However, his parents always called him “Oscar”.  This is probably to avoid confusion in the household, as his father was also named Claude.

2. Although Monet desperately wanted to pursue art, his father had other ideas.  The senior Monet wanted the junior Monet to follow in his footsteps – as a grocer.

3. While in art school, Monet was best known for his works in charcoal.

4. Camille Doncieux was the model for The Woman In The Green Dress, Women in the Garden, and On the Bank of the Seine.  Apparently there was more than just painting happening, because she gave birth to their first child, Jean, in 1867.

5. Camille and Monet were married in 1870.  Even though Monet was having success with his art, they still lived in poverty.  Some of Monet’s paintings were seized by creditors.

6. After Camille’s death, Alice Hoschede helped Monet raise his two sons.  Alice and Monet were later married, as were Alice’s oldest daughter and Jean Monet eventually.

7. Monet loved his garden.  Not only did he paint it frequently, but he meticulously architected every detail, from lighting to plant types.

8. You can tell which paintings Monet created when suffering from cataracts as they have a reddish tone due to his change in color perception.

The Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany has a great respect for Claude Monet and we are proud to have so many talented studio artists of our own. Each artist offers a unique background to add to our studio and the work we represent.