These are the 12 Most Famous Paintings by Claude Monet.
Claude Monet (1840-1926), a well-known French painter, was born in France. Giving rise to the Impressionist painting style, he became one of the founding members of the French Impressionist movement. He was a loyal and successful follower of movement theory, focusing on capturing form and light rather than realism.
Impression, Sunrise (1872)
This is by far the most famous painting by Claude Monet. It is focused on a scene in the port of Le Havre, where Monet grew up. The most interesting part of the painting is the use of vibrant orange to depict light. What Monet shows is a high level of saturation contrast, especially when painting a warm light source. The painting is recognized as inspiring the name of the Impressionist movement.
Woman with a Parasol (1875)
Woman with a Parasol is a painting of Monet’s wife, Madame Monet, and their son, Jean Monet, when they were living in Argenteuil, capturing a scene on a walk on a windy summer morning. The painting gave the impression of a casual family trip rather than a formal painting. The parasol, the veil, and the dress of Madame Monet are symbols of status, despite the fact that the Monet family was not wealthy at the time.
Fellow French Impressionist artist Pierre August Renoir also painted a similar picture.
Beach in Pourville (1882)
Beach in Pourville is a painting of a deserted beach with cliffs on both ends. The water and sky make up almost two-thirds of the artwork. It explores the reflection of light in connection to color, and the concept of total perception is more significant than the reality it is meant to interpret. The vibrant fall colors and detailed composition in this beautiful landscape demonstrate the artist’s skill.
The Beach at Trouville (1870)
The Beach at Trouville is a famous painting by Claude Monet of visitors from the luxury Hotel des Roches Noires walking down the beachfront, as well as the impression of sunshine, reflected on land and ocean in Trouville, Normandy. Evolving impressionist technique and the sand particles in the paint indicates that it was painted outside. The flow of the glass-like water in the painting brings the painting’s intensity to life.
Snow at Argenteuil (1875)
This is a painting of the town of Argenteuil, on a street going towards the Seine, facing away from the railway station. It’s a big piece, with a lot of details sacrificed in favor of mood.
Its mostly monochromatic palette of blues and greys perfectly depicts the sadness of a drizzly winter afternoon. Snow at Argenteuil is one of the most famous paintings by Claude Monet containing snow, which he created a number of pictures of during his career, experimenting with the effects of light, with a focus on the white of snow and rising run, which created purple hues.
The Houses of Parliament, Sunset (1903)
This is a painting of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the British Parliament, and was made during Monet’s visit to London in the early 1900s. It was one of his most comprehensive studies of the effects of light and color on architecture. His mark-making and vibrant color palettes prepared the path for 20th-century painting.
Luncheon on the Grass (1866)
This is a painting of a picnic with people in a calm and happy mood, in a style reminiscent of early impressionism. It was a huge impressionist work that defied traditional artistic rules and attempted to accomplish timelessness. The painting was rejected by the salon, which only displayed works that had been approved by the French Academy of Fine Arts.
There is another painting with the same English title which depicts a similar scene by fellow French painter Édouard Manet.
Rue Montorgueil (1878)
This is a painting of the festivity’s atmosphere, painted on June 30, 1878, for a government-sponsored celebration commemorating “peace and work.” With flags showing patriotism, colors contribute to the vibrancy of modern France and the moving crowd. This urban landscape is extremely busy with large crowds of people.
Woman with a Parasol, facing left (1886)
This painting is of Suzanne Hoschedé, Monet’s second wife, who appears on a riverside against a pale blue sky. The figure is well-balanced against the breathtaking scenery. In this way, it’s a unique painting: it’s neither a pure portrait nor a pure landscape. It’s a mixture of the two. Blues, greens, yellows, and a few red elements make up the painting’s Impressionist palette.
Eine Allee in Monets Garten in Giverny (1902)
This is a painting of rows of flowers under trees, permitting dappled light to vary the tone of their colors. A sight of Monet’s house is seen beyond the woods. He didn’t have to travel very far for ideas. The painting provides a good example of how we may make the most of the materials at our disposal, and that inspiration can be found as near as the garden outside our front door.
The Doges Palace (1908)
This is a painting of the Venetian leader’s palace, which is bathed in a pleasant light and seen from a boat parked in the lagoon. Dappled brushstrokes in a vibrant palette of pinks, yellows, and blues were used to create the Impressionist painting. Monet painted The Doge’s Palace from several views during a three-month stay in Venice from October to December 1908.
Water Lily Pond (1917 – Art Institute of Chicago)
The series of Water Lilys created late in his career has become some of the most famous paintings by Claude Monet. This is a painting of the lilies that are mixed with reflections of other plants on the pool’s surface.
It is famous because of its unusual but lovely bright hues. The thought of seeing something plain appealed to a large portion of the population. It’s more than just water lilies reflecting on the pond’s water; it’s also a mirror of an artist’s life.
What famous paintings by Claude Monet do you think we should add to this list? Comment below.