Seine at Asnieres 1873

Claude Monet made this oil on canvas painting of the Seine at Asnieres sometime in the late 19th century. Here, we see the artist turning his attention to the landscape around Paris, capturing a moment in time where industrial activity meets the tranquility of nature. The image is composed of a series of horizontal layers, with the river in the foreground and the town of Asnieres in the background. The barges take centre stage, suggesting the increasing industrialisation of France at the time. The brushstrokes are loose and broken, which was typical of the Impressionist movement, creating a sense of movement and change. Made in France during a period of rapid social and economic transformation, this painting is a record of the changing face of French society and a commentary on the impact of industrialisation on the environment. To truly understand this work, one might look at the history of industrialisation in France, the development of the Impressionist movement, and the social and political context in which Monet was working.