out of doors, and in

out of doors, and in 1874, he exhibited a now iconic painting at their first ground-breaking exhibition. ‘Impression, soleil levant’ was an atmospheric study of sunrise over the port of Le Havre, disdainfully dubbed Impressionism by one critic. But the name stuck, and the movement gradually gathered momentum. Impression, soleil levant’ - the painting that inspired the Impressionist movement, hanging in the Musée Marmotton, Paris. Monet’s home in Giverny Mastering Monet As Normandy and the Paris region commemorate the Monet Centenary, find out more about the Impressionist artist. One of the world’s best-loved artists, Impressionist painter Claude Monet died on 5 December 1926 at the age of 86. Famous for his skilful evocation of light and colour, Monet is buried in the churchyard at Giverny in Normandy, a short walk from the house where he spent the second half of his life. Monet grew up in Normandy at Le Havre, moving to Paris in the 1860s to further his artistic career, and this year more than 100 centenary events and exhibitions will be taking place across Normandy and the Paris Region to mark his legacy. Monet’s distinctive style is instantly recognisable, but how Claude Monet, 1889 © Nadar, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons much do you really know about the man who spearheaded an artistic revolution...? Monet was just 32 when he unwittingly launched Impressionism. In Paris, Monet met other young painters wanting to rock the established art world with a new style of art that involved painting Claude Monet was encouraged by Honfleur artist Eugène Boudin. Known for his evocative seascapes, big skies and beach scenes, Eugène Boudin lived in Honfleur, across the Seine estuary from in Le Havre. He recognised the young artist’s talent and opened his eyes to the endless possibilities of painting ‘en plein air’. Claude was later to remark that he ‘owed everything’ to Boudin. Urban scenes could inspire Monet as much as the natural world. For Monet, painting was all about light and atmosphere, the colours and patterns that changed with weather and time of day. But not only in the countryside. That famous study of Le Havre depicts the hazy outlines of cranes and chimneys on the quayside and even when living in Normandy, Monet spent regular periods in Paris. He loved capturing the modernity of the capital in scenes such as the steam trains at Gare Saint- Lazare, his smoky skies so realistic you can 30 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 31