Angler auf der Seine bei Poissy Fischer an der Seine bei Poissy 1882

Claude Monet captured this scene of anglers on the Seine near Poissy with oil on canvas. The dominant impression is of a unified, almost monochromatic surface, where shades of green and brown intermingle, blurring the boundaries between water, boats, and the reflections of trees. Monet's application of paint is characterized by broken brushstrokes. This evokes a sense of movement and the transient quality of light on water, typical of Impressionism. The composition rejects traditional perspective. Instead, Monet constructs a flattened picture plane where the boats and figures are distributed across the surface, their forms dissolving into the surrounding environment. This approach challenges fixed, stable representations of reality, questioning the way we perceive space and form. The reflections and subtle gradations of color destabilize any clear distinction between object and reflection, surface and depth. Monet seems less concerned with capturing precise details than with conveying an overall atmospheric effect. This anticipates later artistic movements that would further explore abstraction and the subjective experience of perception.