Bennecourt 1887

Claude Monet's "Bennecourt" is an oil painting, made with brushes and prepared canvas. The impact of this landscape hinges on the materiality of paint itself. Monet used the substance of oil paint to its full potential, exploiting its capacity for texture and layering. Each brushstroke, a deliberate mark of labor, contributes to the overall image. This is not just a representation of a scene, but an active construction of it, with the artist's hand very much in evidence. Monet’s technique involved mixing pigments with oil, applying them in thick impasto. His application of paint is a deliberate act, highlighting the physical properties of the substance and transforming the canvas into a field of tactile sensation. In doing so, Monet elevates the craft of painting, bringing a new appreciation to the process of image-making itself. This invites us to reconsider the value of the labor involved in art, challenging historical divisions between fine art and the skilled crafts.