Vetheuil 1880

Claude Monet created this oil painting titled "Vetheuil," location of his home between 1878 and 1881, sometime in that period. Monet, like other impressionists, sought to capture the fleeting, sensory experience of the natural world, and that desire challenged the long-held conventions of the French Academy. The Academy prized history painting, which often conveyed moral messages, over landscape. In contrast, Monet’s paintings of the French countryside seem to be less concerned with narrative, and more interested in rendering what the eye can see. But, landscape, as a genre, isn’t politically neutral. The late 19th century was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization in France, and so Monet’s paintings reflect a longing for an unspoiled rural life. To understand this artwork more fully, we need to research the history of French landscape painting, the institutions that supported it, and the social and political context in which Monet was working. Then we might begin to appreciate its importance as a reflection of its time.