Pond with Water Lilies 1907

Claude Monet’s “Pond with Water Lilies” is made with oil paints on canvas, common materials in the art world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But look closer, and you’ll see that Monet applied these paints in a way that was anything but traditional. Rather than carefully blending his colors to create smooth surfaces and realistic forms, Monet used short, loose brushstrokes of pure color. The texture of the paint itself becomes part of the image, catching the light and creating a shimmering effect that mimics the way light reflects off water. Monet was not interested in depicting the lilies in a realistic way, but rather in capturing the fleeting impression of light and color that they made on his eye. This approach challenged the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft. The focus on materials, the evidence of the artist's hand, and the emphasis on surface texture are all qualities that are often associated with craft traditions. By embracing these qualities, Monet helped to blur the lines between art and craft and to expand the possibilities of painting.