Seine at Rouen 1872

Claude Monet created "Seine at Rouen" using oil on canvas. As a founder of French Impressionism, Monet was revolutionary in his dedication to capturing fleeting moments. Monet and his contemporaries emerged during a time of significant social and economic change, against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. A growing middle class sought leisure and pleasure. Monet sought to represent this shift through scenes of modern life, focusing not on grand historical narratives, but on the everyday. Here, in "Seine at Rouen," we see how Monet uses light and color to depict a specific moment in time along the Seine River. The dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, the reflections on the water – these elements create a sense of immediacy and sensory experience. Monet once said, "I want to paint the air in which the bridge, the house and the boat are to be found - the beauty of the air around them." What does it mean to see the air itself as the subject? It's a challenge to traditional notions of what is deemed worthy of representation. It's an invitation to find beauty in the ephemeral and the ordinary.