The Village of Vétheuil 1879

Claude Monet made this oil-on-canvas painting of “The Village of Vétheuil." Impressionism is about the effect of light and atmosphere, but the materiality of the paint itself is worth considering. The qualities of viscosity and hue are especially apparent in the loose brushwork across the water's surface. The painting shows its making through its textured surface. Monet applied color and tone on the canvas using mass-produced paints that were becoming widely available at the time. Monet was known for working en plein air, or outdoors, which would have certainly affected his technique and the speed with which he painted. But the availability of ready-made paints in tubes made that practice possible. By focusing on the qualities of paint and its application, we can see how material and process are important to this artwork's overall effect. Understanding these elements helps us appreciate how Monet challenged conventional notions of art making.