Claude Monet is one of the most beloved and celebrated painters of all time. He has influenced generations of painters from the nineteenth century to the present. Monet’s letters—to his friends, family, fellow artists, patrons, and gallerists—offer an unmatched glimpse into the artist’s life, revealing his passions, anxieties, and candid opinions. Lavishly illustrated and fully annotated, it will appeal to all admirers of the “father of impressionism.”
Monet’s letters offer extraordinary insight into the artist’s creative process, expanding our view of his working life and practice. From his formative years to fame at the end of his life, this selection of letters is accompanied by profiles of his correspondents, expert introductions, and comprehensive annotations. Illustrated with some of Monet’s best-known paintings, contemporary photographs, and reproductions of some of the letters themselves, his world is revealed in words and images.
For anyone interested in the life of one of the most important artists of the early modern era, this anthology reveals Monet’s intimate personal reflections, his daily routine, his worries, and his feelings about his family, his colleagues, and his work. Published to mark the centenary of the artist’s death, this is a fresh opportunity to explore the life of one of modern art’s most influential figures in his own words.
Contributors
Teresa Krasny
Author
Teresa Krasny is director and curator of the Alan & Caroline Howard Collection, a specialist in nineteenth- and twentieth-century art, and formerly a director at Christie’s.
Frances Fowle
Author
Frances Fowle is emeritus professor of nineteenth-century art at the University of Edinburgh, an authority on collecting and the early market for impressionism.
Flavie Durand-Ruel
Author
Flavie Durand-Ruel is the great-greatgranddaughter of Monet’s art dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel. She is director of FDR Fine Arts and has undertaken extensive research of the Durand-Ruel Archives.
Karen Serres
Author
Karen Serres is senior curator of paintings at the Courtauld Gallery, London, where she curated the exhibition “Monet and London. Views of the Thames” in 2024.
Sylvie Patry
Author
Sylvie Patry is a former deputy director at the Musée d’Orsay, a specialist in nineteenth-century art, and head of the Musée d’Orsay’s and Musée de l’Orangerie’s anniversary celebrations (including the centenary of Monet’s death).
