Monet and His Water Lily

Ali, who read Sense of Participation last week, said that Monet painted nothing but water lilies in his later years. He painted for 29 years, and his works reached 18 1. Suddenly I became interested and did some research on this story.

As a master of impressionism, Monet's early works are diversified. He was also a pioneer in the art world in Paris. Later works were also influenced by Japanese Ukiyo-e, and many techniques of Ukiyo-e were used for reference in composition and perspective.

At the age of 50, Monet passed by giverny Town and suddenly fell in love with it. Then I bought a house there and began to dig ponds and plant water lilies. These plants were introduced from Japan and a Japanese bridge was built on the pond.

Since then, Monet's painting theme has only been the clear water in this yard.

Early water lily works paid more attention to the expression of light and shadow. When we saw the whole painting, there was no focus of sight. What we see is a bright and dark tone, which gives people a feeling of beauty and tranquility.

Especially for the expression of flowing water and still water, each painting is different, some express the meaning of flowing through the torsional deformation of mirror water, and some express the meaning of still water through the relative relationship between the picture and other plants.

It can be said that although it is only this pond, it can basically be said that it is a Dojo used by the master to improve his skills.

There are also some paintings that highlight the Japanese bridge. If you count the works of Japanese bridge and water lily, the number can reach more than 240.

Monet's Water Lily can be divided into two stages. The previous stage began with 1897 and ended with 1909' s solo exhibition "Water Lily: Lakes and Mountains" held in Paris. The works at this stage pay attention to the expression of water.

In the five years after 1909, Monet suffered from the death of his wife and son, serious illness and cataract, and never started painting again for the next five years. It was not until 19 13 that he began to paint again. Due to the influence of cataract, later works were bolder in color, more abstract in picture and rougher in pen, but he didn't stop painting until the end.

Monet spent his last days writing Panorama of Water Lily. "The nerves with tight work will be relaxed here, as calm as water, and people will be in the middle of a flower pond and meditate here."

In the last years, water lilies became the only thing that could calm him down.

I suddenly thought of the Japanese painter Shouyi Kumatani, who is basically the same as Monet. I haven't left home for 30 years in my later years. Focus only on your own garden and spiritual world. You can watch the ants move in the garden for a day, the pond can be modified a little by yourself, and you can talk with small stones for a day. Since then, the outside world has nothing to do with me, and the garden of the spiritual world is gorgeous, pure, simple, harmonious, warm, quiet and comfortable all year round … ..

When people reach a certain age, they don't yearn for the outside world, but more want to have their own small courtyard. Get together with three or five old friends, play chess and chat, and then watch the sunrise and sunset. The years are quiet. Well, life in old age can be planned in time. ...