Banks of the Seine,Vétheuil 1880

Claude Monet's painting, "Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil," presents a horizontally layered composition realized through strokes of blues, greens, and yellows. These colors evoke a serene and immersive experience of nature. Monet's emphasis on the materiality of paint destabilizes traditional landscape painting. The visible brushstrokes and textured surface draw attention to the canvas itself, challenging the illusion of depth. This technique aligns with modernist ideas that sought to reveal the structural elements of art. The reflection of trees in the water creates symmetry, yet it's fractured by the movement of the river. The river acts as a semiotic symbol of the transient nature of perception and experience. The verticality of the trees contrast against the horizontal of the river suggesting an existential exploration of nature's dualities. Monet's attention to capturing light and atmosphere invites us to consider how these elements function beyond mere representation. The interplay between surface and depth, illusion and reality, invites contemplation on the nature of seeing.