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A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny
This beautiful slipcased volume offers an intimate tour inside Monet’s home and through the idyllic Giverny garden that inspired his most iconic paintings.
Monet first spotted the village of Giverny from the window of a train and then relocated to the rural haven outside Paris in 1883. Monet was an artist with a passion for painting landscapes and outdoor scenes, and the garden at Giverny soon became the Impressionist master’s greatest artistic accomplishment and a catalyst for his work. In 1890, Monet began renovating it, installing a picturesque water lily pond inspired by the Japanese prints he avidly collected. The setting of Monet’s Water Lilies series—his most famous works—it is now the most visited garden of its size in the Western world.
The beautifully vivid illustrations of Monet’s paintings, his home, and the grounds give readers unprecedented access into the flowery paradise to which Monet dedicated the last forty years of his life. Lovers of garden design and Impressionist art are invited on an intimate tour via this handsome volume.
Monet first spotted the village of Giverny from the window of a train and then relocated to the rural haven outside Paris in 1883. Monet was an artist with a passion for painting landscapes and outdoor scenes, and the garden at Giverny soon became the Impressionist master’s greatest artistic accomplishment and a catalyst for his work. In 1890, Monet began renovating it, installing a picturesque water lily pond inspired by the Japanese prints he avidly collected. The setting of Monet’s Water Lilies series—his most famous works—it is now the most visited garden of its size in the Western world.
The beautifully vivid illustrations of Monet’s paintings, his home, and the grounds give readers unprecedented access into the flowery paradise to which Monet dedicated the last forty years of his life. Lovers of garden design and Impressionist art are invited on an intimate tour via this handsome volume.
- GenresNonfictionFranceArt
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 1, 2018
[I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review; full review originally posted at http://vivelaqueen.blogspot.com/2018/...]
Claude Monet's country garden at Giverny should truly be considered one of the artist's most masterful works. True, it was not crafted with careful strokes of paint onto a canvas, but it was Monet's impressionist eye for color and placement that transformed a simple garden into one of the most beautiful and popular gardens in all of France. A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny by Adrien Goetz, with photographs by Francis Hammond, invites readers to take a journey through Monet's Giverny; to admire the meticulously planned gardens and explore the public and private spaces of his family's home and personal studio.
A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny first explores the long, mostly tranquil history of Giverny, ranging from the many facets of the historic church of Sainte-Radegonde to the Hotel Baudy, where most of the foreign artists who flocked to the town stayed during their pilgrimages. In addition to providing valuable information about why Giverny was so attractive to Monet and countless other artists, it gives readers perfect spots to visit should they, too, make the journey there. As Goetz writes, "The entire history of France seems to have left its mark here."
After a bit of history, the book delves right into Monet's development of his estate at Giverny, with a sharp focus on the gardens which became Monet's great pride. Countless hours, to say nothing of the expenses, were spent planning and expanding the plots, which included functioning greenhouses to supply fresh flowers and other greenery year-round. The resulting gardens were an impressionist landscape of color, providing the perfect backdrop for Monet to paint what would be some of his most highly regarded paintings.
Many readers may be familiar with Monet's garden, but less familiar will be Goetz's exploration of Monet's family home. The home was originally an old cider mill, which Monet decided to convert into a proper manor house. As with his garden, Monet's home was carefully cultivated as an extension of his artistry. In the dining room, his prized Japanese prints were carefully hung just-so on the walls of his dining room, which was painted a bright shade of lemon-yellow. His room was filled with precious paintings he inherited or had purchased over the years. Even the rooms of his family are explored, including the room of Blanche Monet, which was recently restored.
Quotes from Monet's contemporaries and other prominent visitors to Giverny during its heyday are included throughout the book. They provide invaluable insight into how contemporaries viewed Monet's landscape creations, and even some insight into Monet himself.
Francis Hammond's photographs are beautiful to look at here, and the decision to often follow the crisp full-color photographs of the garden with corresponding paintings by Monet is well appreciated. It's very easy for readers to see how the gardens, dotted with blooms, were transformed by Monet's artistic vision. Hammond also photographed many areas of Monet's estate, including the carefully decorated interiors. In addition to Hammond's photographs, the book includes many reproductions of Monet paintings, paintings Monet owned and once displayed in his home, as well as historic photographs of Monet and his family while they lived in Giverny.
Monet's presence in Giverny drew flocks of artists to the site, although many did not get so much as a glimpse of the artist, especially in his later years when he became more reclusive. Despite the historic and cultural importance of Monet's garden and home, it fell into disrepair and was in sore need of restoration for many years. It was Gérald van der Kemp who pioneered the restoration of Giverny and brought it back to its former glory, once again making it one of the most popular destinations for artists--and now, tourists from all over France and the world, eager to experience the charm and wonder that enticed Monet to curate his own colorful space in Giverny.
A Day with Claude Monet In Giverny by Adrien Goetz is a beautifully illustrated look at Monet's garden and home in Giverny. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Claude Monet, impressionist painting, French villages, or even French and art history as a whole.
Claude Monet's country garden at Giverny should truly be considered one of the artist's most masterful works. True, it was not crafted with careful strokes of paint onto a canvas, but it was Monet's impressionist eye for color and placement that transformed a simple garden into one of the most beautiful and popular gardens in all of France. A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny by Adrien Goetz, with photographs by Francis Hammond, invites readers to take a journey through Monet's Giverny; to admire the meticulously planned gardens and explore the public and private spaces of his family's home and personal studio.
A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny first explores the long, mostly tranquil history of Giverny, ranging from the many facets of the historic church of Sainte-Radegonde to the Hotel Baudy, where most of the foreign artists who flocked to the town stayed during their pilgrimages. In addition to providing valuable information about why Giverny was so attractive to Monet and countless other artists, it gives readers perfect spots to visit should they, too, make the journey there. As Goetz writes, "The entire history of France seems to have left its mark here."
After a bit of history, the book delves right into Monet's development of his estate at Giverny, with a sharp focus on the gardens which became Monet's great pride. Countless hours, to say nothing of the expenses, were spent planning and expanding the plots, which included functioning greenhouses to supply fresh flowers and other greenery year-round. The resulting gardens were an impressionist landscape of color, providing the perfect backdrop for Monet to paint what would be some of his most highly regarded paintings.
Many readers may be familiar with Monet's garden, but less familiar will be Goetz's exploration of Monet's family home. The home was originally an old cider mill, which Monet decided to convert into a proper manor house. As with his garden, Monet's home was carefully cultivated as an extension of his artistry. In the dining room, his prized Japanese prints were carefully hung just-so on the walls of his dining room, which was painted a bright shade of lemon-yellow. His room was filled with precious paintings he inherited or had purchased over the years. Even the rooms of his family are explored, including the room of Blanche Monet, which was recently restored.
Quotes from Monet's contemporaries and other prominent visitors to Giverny during its heyday are included throughout the book. They provide invaluable insight into how contemporaries viewed Monet's landscape creations, and even some insight into Monet himself.
Francis Hammond's photographs are beautiful to look at here, and the decision to often follow the crisp full-color photographs of the garden with corresponding paintings by Monet is well appreciated. It's very easy for readers to see how the gardens, dotted with blooms, were transformed by Monet's artistic vision. Hammond also photographed many areas of Monet's estate, including the carefully decorated interiors. In addition to Hammond's photographs, the book includes many reproductions of Monet paintings, paintings Monet owned and once displayed in his home, as well as historic photographs of Monet and his family while they lived in Giverny.
Monet's presence in Giverny drew flocks of artists to the site, although many did not get so much as a glimpse of the artist, especially in his later years when he became more reclusive. Despite the historic and cultural importance of Monet's garden and home, it fell into disrepair and was in sore need of restoration for many years. It was Gérald van der Kemp who pioneered the restoration of Giverny and brought it back to its former glory, once again making it one of the most popular destinations for artists--and now, tourists from all over France and the world, eager to experience the charm and wonder that enticed Monet to curate his own colorful space in Giverny.
A Day with Claude Monet In Giverny by Adrien Goetz is a beautifully illustrated look at Monet's garden and home in Giverny. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Claude Monet, impressionist painting, French villages, or even French and art history as a whole.
November 29, 2018
Magnifique! Loved the sense of Monet in Giverny with such beautiful gardens and en plein air painting.
August 17, 2022
One of the happiest days of my life was spent in Giverny in Monet's garden and home. I traveled to France in September, so there were water lilies all over the pond. It was amazing to see the Japanese bridge and an old gateau. The home and studio were great to see. The table was set for guests with the original china. What surprised me the most was the huge collection of Japanese prints / woodblocks. I did not understand why when Monet's work was to show the "impression" of what is seen, not the fine lines and edges of the Japanese art. Later I found out that Monet appreciated this Asian art because it depicted natural scenes and ordinary people. It was the goal of the impressionists to make the ordinary extraordinary. This book was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Kristi & Abby Tabby
April 9, 2020
5⭑
i want to be an impressionist muse
impressionism has been my favourite art movement for years now, reading this book while seeing the paintings has brought me so much peace, especially in times like this. i went to monet's garden in 2014 and i was blown away by its beauty, i've always been very driven my nature so it was amazing to be there in his garden during summer. i'm day dreaming so much right now.
i want to be an impressionist muse
impressionism has been my favourite art movement for years now, reading this book while seeing the paintings has brought me so much peace, especially in times like this. i went to monet's garden in 2014 and i was blown away by its beauty, i've always been very driven my nature so it was amazing to be there in his garden during summer. i'm day dreaming so much right now.
January 7, 2019
An absolute gem of a book. You can learn the history of the village of Giverny & the area surrounding it. The gardens come alive not only with words but glorious photos. The chapter, "Inside the Master's Home" will give you almost as good a picture as being there. The quality and number of pictures is outstanding. If you love Monet don't miss this luxurious book.
May 16, 2018
Superb, clear concise, wonderful plates, and a fantastic sense of "being there".
June 13, 2024
Hermoso libro sobre la relación artística entre Monet y el que fue su verdadero hogar, sus jardines en Giverny. Cargado de relatos encantadores que mezclan la historia del pintor como también la historia del arte y del movimiento artístico del momento, el Impresionismo. Tuve la suerte de poder comprarme el libro físico y debo decir que es una verdadera joyita! La calidad del papel, las imágenes y hasta la pequeña caja que contiene al libro; todo pipi cucú 💯
May 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this book.
February 24, 2024
I wished it talked a bit more about Monet’s art and process but it was a beautiful book and an easy read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews