Agree To Disagree?

Upon seeing an art exhibit featuring Monet’s work along with two other artists, Adrian Lewis, an art critic, felt she had a grasp on what the exhibitionist intended for the showcase of Monet’s work. Lewis indicates that the aspect of light found in all three paintings in the exhibition tie them together for, “this device indicates the plot underlying the exhibition’s premise: that an impelling evolution connects stylistically three oeuvres in which light itself struggles to break free.” In disagreement with this statement, I find that Monet’s works are hardly struggling to evoke the feeling of light and radiance emitting from them, to the contrary, his paintings are the epitome of the use of light and perspective in art.

Lewis’s statement is hard to fathom, as many of Monet’s paintings are focused on one central aspect: light. The light found in Monet’s works is hardly struggling to break free, in fact, in many of his landscapes the light is what draws the viewer in to begin with. Monet’s painting, Impression, Sunrise lent its name to the Impressionist movement, a movement which is characterized by intense lighting and unique perspectives.

Monet’s landscapes of the scenic views from around his French home all have a variation of the light theme in common. Far from trying to suppress a light and airy feel to his paintings, Monet once remarked that he, “wished to paint the air.” It is hard to argue against the artist’s intentions. Even though many critics take it upon themselves to interpret works of art, what the artist meant while painting the piece ultimately produces what is accepted as the true meaning. Furthermore, Monet utilized other techniques to draw in viewers, such as putting unique perceptions on different landscapes, and not by relying on a dark and suppressing style of painting which was utilized by many of his contemporaries.

For proof of this light suppression, Lewis points to the fog found in several of Monet’s paintings. The fog, however, is not representative to a suppression of light. In contrast, it allows the viewer to look even more closely at the painting in recognition of the objects. Monet’s use of fog generally came into focus when he painted the lakes and other small ponds around his home, which are landscapes that it would be hard to admit that a sense of dreariness did not abide.

Also in these paintings, however, Monet may paint the sky and general upper half of the painting much darker than the actual body of water itself. In Monet’s painting, Water Lilies, the water lilies themselves seem to be radiating light throughout the rest of the landscape.

One of Monet’s favorite subjects, sunrises, can hardly be noted as not having enough light. A sunrise is the shedding of light on all things, and Monet painted them liberally, with warm colors. He did not shy away from having to shed light on things, in fact, he embraced it.

Monet’s paintings can hardly be classified as lifeless and dull. To the contrary, Monet was a founder of the Impressionist movement, and began the movement’s traditions of focusing on intense lighting. His use of light is unique, because by playing around with it, Monet was able to give the viewer totally separate vantage points to look at and understand his works. By taking away Monet’s light, it would be in effect taking away his work.