Monet – The Artist’s Garden at Giverny

Claude Monet’s painting The Artist’s Garden at Giverny was, as the title suggests, inspired by the artist’s garden in his home in France. Painting in the comfort of his own home was a great pleasure to the artist, particularly in the later part of his life, and he explored his love for art by experimenting with different scenes in nature.

The Artist’s Garden at Giverny showcases numerous rows of purple and pink irises under large trees that drape over them. Exploring many different colours and textures, his love for the beauty of nature is clear and Monet has taken great care in adding rich detail to each individual flower. Unlike numerous large-scale landscapes, from his famous water lilies to London’s skyline, here Monet has chosen to paint a small section of his garden, but the painting’s size does not diminish the power of its rich colour and intricate detail.

The layout of the composition puts us in Monet’s position as he sits and admires his garden, perhaps waiting for the perfect amount of light to capture the colour of the irises and elegance of the trees. In the near centre of the composition we can see a glimpse of the artist’s house, reminding us that Monet did not have to travel far for inspiration. This painting acts as an example of how we can use the resources that are available to us and that creativity can lie as close as the garden outside our homes.

Click on the images below to see how other famous artists have been inspired by gardens: