Trip to Giverny, April, 2014

Giverny, located 45 minutes northwest of Paris, is home to two sites for anyone interested in Impressionism: the home and gardens of Claude Monet and the art museum of Giverny.  This spring the museum held a special exhibit of paintings by American Impressionists who are largely ignored in France.  Mary Cassatt, counted as one of the two women Impressionist painters, is represented by a single painting in the Musee D'Orsay, and John Singer Sargent's work (whose work I think is the best of the Americans) cannot be found in Paris except in a dark corner of Rodin's house (and the painting is not very good).  Art critics claim that American Impressionists tended to be more exact in their work and less abstract.  While I couldn't taken any photos, the exhibit covered the Americans well but briefly, with a painting or two by Whistler, Sargent, Cassatt, Tarbell, etc.  It was well worth the trip.

Chuck, my friends G., L. and I first went to Monet's house and gardens.  The gardens as the photos below show, were a riot of color.  It was pretty much like going to a flower show.  I took a lot more photos than the ones here in part because I will be able to paint some on pottery over the next year.

The property included the famous pond that Monet created and planted. It  was source of his paintings of waterlilies (like the ones at the Musee de l'Orangerie).  April is too early for the waterlilies to bloom but the trees, iris and many other flowers were lovely to behold.

While we were there, we listened to a special concert--the frogs in the pond, not very large, had loud voices and croaked out their frog songs as we walked around.  Both L and wished we could just hang out for a few days and paint!

Monet's home has been left as it was in his lifetime.  It's a small country cottage with his large studio, a big kitchen, various small sitting rooms that all have a view to the garden. I noticed lots of nice pottery around the house which I took photos of until I was told "no photos at all."

Most surprising to me were the Japanese wood cut paintings all over the house.  They were originals and just hang over walls everywhere.  I don't know Japanese woodcuts well, but they were complex and colorful, and the works of famous Japanese masters.  A real treat to see.  Too bad I couldn't take photos (and I couldn't find postcard copies) for my daughter and my niece who have worked in woodcuts

It's always best to make such a trip with friends!

G, L, Chuck and me