Why Claude Monet’s Art Still Inspires Artists Today

Claude Monet, The Bridge at Argenteuil, 1874

​Claude Monet, a pioneer of Impressionism, remains one of the most celebrated artists in history. His luminous paintings, filled with shimmering light and vibrant color, have captivated art lovers for generations. Monet’s ability to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere on a landscape makes his work deeply moving and eternally relevant. As both an artist and an educator, I find endless inspiration in his techniques and artistic vision.

Monet and Impressionism

​Born in 1840 in Paris, Monet was a leading figure in the Impressionist movement, a radical departure from traditional academic painting. Impressionism emphasized loose brushwork, vibrant colors, and an interest in capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere rather than precise details. The movement took its name from Monet’s painting Impression, Sunrise (1872), a work that exemplified this new approach to painting. Rather than focusing on rigid outlines and smooth blending, Monet and his contemporaries sought to depict their immediate impressions of a scene, often painting outdoors, or en plein air.

Claude Monet, Impression Sunrise, 1872

The Use of Broken Color

One of Monet’s most distinctive techniques is his use of broken color. This involves placing small, distinct strokes of pure color next to each other, allowing the viewer’s eye to mix them optically. Instead of blending colors on a palette, Monet allowed them to interact directly on the canvas, creating a shimmering, vibrant effect. This technique makes his paintings feel alive with movement and light.
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For example, in Water Lilies, he used dabs of blue, violet, green, and yellow to create reflections in the water. Up close, these colors appear as individual brushstrokes, but when viewed from a distance, they merge into a cohesive, dynamic image. This broken color technique enhances the sense of spontaneity and vibrancy in his work.

Claude Monet, The Water Lilies – The Clouds, 1920–1926, Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris

Claude Monet, The Water Lilies – The Clouds, 1920–1926, Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris (Detail view)

Monet’s Mastery of Middle Values

Unlike artists who emphasize strong contrasts between light and dark, Monet often worked within the middle range of values. He avoided deep blacks and stark whites, preferring soft, natural transitions between tones. This approach gave his paintings a sense of harmony and atmosphere, making them feel more like direct experiences of nature rather than highly structured compositions.

A great example of this can be seen in Haystacks, where he captures the changing light at different times of day. The subtle shifts in value create an enveloping sense of air and space, immersing the viewer in the moment

Claude Monet, Weatstacks (End of Summer) 1890–91, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

The Plein Air Experience

Monet was deeply committed to painting outdoors, or en plein air, to better observe and capture the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere. He often painted the same scene multiple times to study how the light changed throughout the day. His dedication to this practice resulted in some of his most famous series, including Rouen Cathedral, Water Lilies, and Houses of Parliament.

His love of nature is evident in his home and garden at Giverny, which he cultivated as an endless source of inspiration. His garden, with its lily pond and Japanese bridge, became the subject of many of his later works, demonstrating his belief in the profound connection between art and nature.

Claude Monet, Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies, 1899

The Energy of His Brushstrokes

​Monet’s brushwork is a defining feature of his style. Instead of carefully blending his strokes, he used quick, deliberate dabs and sweeps of paint. These expressive marks create a sense of movement and spontaneity, mirroring the natural world’s ever-changing qualities. His paintings often feel as though they are in motion, as if the wind is rustling through trees or water is shimmering under the sun.

Monet’s Passion for Color

Monet’s Passion for Color
Color was at the heart of Monet’s artistic vision. He rejected the muted palettes of earlier academic painters, instead embracing bold, pure hues. His studies of light led him to use complementary colors to create visual contrast and energy.
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For instance, in The Artist's Garden at Giverny, he juxtaposed warm oranges and reds against cool purples to enhance the vibrancy of the light on the field of flowers. His ability to push color to its expressive limits is one of the reasons his paintings continue to resonate with viewers today.

Monet's palette was vibrant and modern for his time, differing significantly from the palettes of earlier academic painters. Traditional painters before him often used a more muted, earth-toned palette dominated by browns, blacks, and dark greens, relying on chiaroscuro (strong contrasts of light and dark) to model forms.

Claude Monet, The Artist's Garden at Giverny, 1900

Monet’s Palette

Monet embraced pure, high-chroma colors that reflected his study of light and atmosphere. His palette typically included:
Lead White (or later Titanium White) – Used for highlights and lightening other colors.

Cadmium Yellow and Chrome Yellow – Bright, warm yellows.
Vermilion and Alizarin Crimson – Rich, warm reds.
Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, and Cerulean Blue – Essential for sky and water.
Viridian and Emerald Green – Used for foliage and shadows.
Ochres (Yellow and Red) – Natural earth tones.
No Black! – Monet avoided black, instead using deep blues or complementary colors to create darker tones.

How Monet’s Palette Was Different:

Brighter, More Luminous Colors – Instead of traditional browns and blacks for shadows, Monet used complementary colors (like blue and orange or red and green) to create a sense of vibrancy.

Limited Mixing on the Palette – Rather than premixing colors into muted tones, Monet applied colors side by side in small strokes (broken color technique), allowing them to mix optically in the viewer’s eye.

Avoidance of Black – Earlier painters often relied on black for shading, but Monet found it too harsh. Instead, he created shadows using deep blues, purples, and complementary colors, which made his paintings feel more natural and atmospheric.

Influence of Industrially Produced Pigments – New synthetic pigments like cerulean blue and emerald green became available in the 19th century, which Monet embraced, making his colors more intense than those of earlier artists.

This approach gave his paintings their characteristic glow, making them feel alive with light and movement. His use of color was revolutionary and influenced generations of artists after him. 

Monet's Palette

​Claude Monet’s paintings continue to inspire because of their luminous color, dynamic brushwork, and masterful handling of light. His commitment to capturing nature’s beauty and his innovative techniques have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest artists of all time. As an art educator, I find that his work offers invaluable lessons on observation, color, and expressive brushwork. Whether viewed up close or from a distance, Monet’s paintings invite us to see the world through his eyes—a world shimmering with light, movement, and boundless beauty.

If you enjoyed this article or have thoughts about Monet and his painting style, please leave a comment. 

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