Water Lilies 1907

Monet painted Water Lilies with oil on canvas as an ongoing project throughout the end of his life. Look at the way Monet is using paint, not to describe the flowers, but to describe the sensation of light on water. I see a surface alive with marks, short, quick strokes of blues, greens, and purples, building up a shimmering surface. Notice the way the paint is applied, thick and luscious in some areas, thin and washy in others, as if the canvas is breathing. The physical presence of the paint itself becomes the subject, not just the flowers. There’s a spot in the center where the pinks and lavenders blend together, creating a soft, luminous glow, a sense of depth and atmosphere, like a memory fading in and out of focus. For me, the Water Lilies are like stepping-stones to other painters, like Gerhard Richter, who explored similar ideas about color, light, and the ambiguity of representation. Ultimately, this work reminds us that art is an invitation, an open-ended conversation.