Waterlilies 1904

In this painting, Claude Monet explored his pond with oil paints, and what emerges, like the flowers themselves, is something special. It seems like the painting came into being through many shifts and changes, by trial and error, and through intuition. I sympathize with Monet. I know what it's like to stand in front of a canvas and try to capture a feeling. Here, he's built up the surface with layers of paint, creating a thick, almost sculptural texture, especially in the lily pads. Imagine Monet's arm moving across the canvas, capturing the light as it flickers across the water. Each stroke communicates a feeling, an intention, a fleeting moment in time. He was trying to get at something deeper than just appearances. You can see his interest in the play of light and color, the way he's picked up on the reflections and the subtle shifts in tone. And in that sense, Monet is in conversation with all the painters who came before him, all the artists who have tried to capture the beauty and mystery of the world around us. This painting, like all paintings, embraces ambiguity, and allows for multiple interpretations.