Trees in Winter, View of Bennecourt 1887

Claude Monet painted "Trees in Winter, View of Bennecourt" with oil on canvas, using brushstrokes to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Monet's technique emphasizes the material qualities of paint itself. Look closely, and you'll notice the visible texture, the raised impasto that creates a vibrant, shimmering surface. The brushstrokes are not blended, but applied in short, broken touches, suggesting movement and the transient nature of the scene. This direct, hands-on approach to painting, using traditional art materials, elevated the status of the artist's individual expression. Monet's impressionistic style represents a shift in artistic values, away from academic precision and towards subjective experience, even the experience of labor itself. The painting stands as a testament to the artist's skill and vision, reminding us that art is not just about representation, but also about the act of creation.