Water Lilies 1907

Claude Monet created this Water Lilies painting with oil on canvas, part of a series reflecting his deep engagement with his garden in Giverny. Monet's Impressionism revolutionized art by challenging the academic painting traditions that prioritised historical or mythological subjects, opting instead for scenes from everyday life. This shift challenged the established hierarchy within art institutions. Monet's focus wasn't just the objective representation of the water lilies; he was fascinated by the subjective experience of light and colour and the fleeting moment. The image, made in France, divorces itself from the social realities of the time and seems to embrace a kind of bourgeois detachment, although this itself was a political statement. Detailed studies of the period’s art criticism, exhibition histories, and artists’ correspondence helps us to fully understand the changing role of art in French society.