Morning on the Seine 1897

Claude Monet painted "Morning on the Seine" using oil on canvas to capture a fleeting moment. This artwork and others in the Impressionist movement, marks a shift in the art world where artists began to focus on landscapes and everyday life. Monet painted this en plein air, which translated to ‘in the open air’ which was a radical departure from studio-based academic painting. In the late 19th century, the French Academy still dictated artistic standards. Impressionists challenged these norms by prioritizing personal experience and sensory perception. Monet's focus on light and color, and the very visible brushstrokes, were seen as rebellious. To understand this painting fully, one has to look at the art market at the time, the rise of independent exhibitions, and critical debates surrounding modernism. Art historical resources, like exhibition catalogs and period reviews, help us appreciate the painting's role in transforming art's relationship to society.