Late Afternoon in Vetheuil 1880

Claude Monet painted this view of Vétheuil from across the Seine, using oil on canvas. In France in the late 19th century, landscape painting increasingly became a vehicle for exploring the individual artist’s subjective experience of the world. Monet’s approach reflects this shift, as the artist moves away from traditional methods of representation, instead prioritizing capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere. The image creates meaning through its visual codes, and cultural references, which offer a glimpse into the social and cultural values of the time. In 19th-century France, there was a growing appreciation for the natural world, fueled by urbanization, industrialization, and anxieties about modern life. To better understand this painting, we might look at the writings of art critics and social commentators who wrote about the changing relationship between humans and nature. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.