Only to see Claude Monet in Giverny can you know who he is, his personality, his interest in life and his inner world,” His friend and biographer, Gustav wrote. Monet’s family moved to Giverny in 1883, which was a village between Paris and Rouen. He then set about building a garden. For this garden, he himself commented: “This is my best work.” This place was his final shelter where he lived for 43 years.
Water Lilies is a series of oil paintings with a number of about 250. Most of them were completed when Monet was in Giverny garden. The paintings depicted Monet’s flower garden in different scenes. It is hard to believe that when many of the works were painted Claude Monet was suffering from cataracts. In his garden, he made different attempts to arrange the light effect. Therefore, Water Lilies series appeared in a various postures.
The paintings Water Lilies, in the contrast of the colors of the bright yellow, orange and vermilion, were like a mass of burning fire. The strong whirlwind-like strokes strengthened the effect of the flame distortedly rising among the lily clouds, showing a visual world of dream. Here, there was no water lily but a dark round plate, which highlighted by bright strokes. There was no mark of space but light and color captured by the brush.
The oil paintings were shown at museums although the world. During the 1920s, France set about building two oval rooms for eight water lily murals by Claude Monet. And people got the chance to
on many of the following generations of artists.