Monet – O Triunfo do Impressionismo

by Daniel Wildenstein, Maria Filomena Duarte (Translator)

Mestre do sublime
O impressionista essencial

A par com J.M.W. Turner, nenhum outro artista procurou mais do que Claude Monet (1840-1926) capturar a própria luz na tela. De todos os impressionistas, foi ele a quem Cézanne chamou de «apenas um olho, mas meu Deus que olho!» e que se manteve totalmente fiel ao princípio da mais completa veracidade da sensação visual, pintando diretamente a partir do objeto.

Pode dizer-se que Monet reinventou as possibilidades da cor, que foi através do seu interesse pelas gravuras japonesas, pelo tempo que passou sob a deslumbrante luz da Argélia como recruta, ou pelo facto de conhecer pessoalmente os grandes pintores do final da década de 1800, que o que Monet produziu durante a sua longa vida iria mudar para sempre a maneira como vemos o mundo natural e os fenómenos a ele associados. O ponto alto das suas explorações foi a série de nenúfares, pintados no seu próprio jardim em Giverny, que aproximando-se da quase total ausência de forma, são na realidade a origem da arte abstrata.

Esta biografia faz justiça a este artista notável e profundamente influente, e oferece inúmeras reproduções e fotografias de arquivo comentadas com pormenor e perspicácia.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, Art History, History, Reference, France

612 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 1996

About the author

Daniel Leopold Wildenstein (11 September 1917 – 23 October 2001) was a French art dealer, historian and owner-breeder of thoroughbred race horses.

He was a member of the Wildenstein family, owners of one of the most successful and influential art-dealerships of the 20th century.

Reviews

[leynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes! This is how you write and design an extensive biography of a painter whose body of work is enormous. I just finished this book with tears streaming down my face. Oh wow, the beauty of it all.

In December, I read a similar biography on Van Gogh and whilst I appreciated its design as well (I mean, it features all 780+ paintings of Van Gogh in full color... what's there to dislike?) I found that the actual biography was put together quite lacklustre. The actual text bored me to death. The authors kept babbling about the least interesting aspects of Van Gogh's life and did that in such a manner that made me question their expertise.

But this book right here – Monet: Or the Triumph of Impressionism is everything a biography should be! I could cry tears of joy just thinking about it. Daniel Wildenstein put together a text which gives, of course, great insight into Monet's life (not just the facts, though, you really get an understanding of his way of life and how he approached his art), but also a great insight into France at the turn of the century. By letters, postcards, photographs of the time and looking at things from multiple perspectives (personal, political, cultural etc.) the reader gets a real sense of what it was like for Monet to live in 19th/20th century France.

This biography is so detailed; I am in awe that Daniel Wildenstein managed to preserve the facets of Monet's life and still write a text that is so engaging and accessible. And even though Monet was quite the complicated person (probably cheated on his first wife, had choleric tendencies, acted quite opportunistically towards his art dealers etc.) I couldn't help but grow an immense affection for this man. The variety of photographs of him and his family made everything feel so close to me. Add to that his amazing paintings and the fact that he basically started from scratch and had to work his way to the top, since impressionism was vilified in the beginning.

This book absolutely broke my heart. When I read the last few chapters and learned that Monet never saw his waterlilies in the Orangerie in Paris, I actually burst down crying. Those are the little tragedies in people's life that absolutely wreck me. Toward the end of his life, Monet started to lose his eyesight and despite two operations, he was never fully able to see perfectly again. This slowed him down immensely, and it took him much longer to finish the wall panels of the waterlilies that he wanted to donate to the state. When he died in 1926, the wall panels were as good as complete, but only in the following year were they put in the Orangerie.

For 94 years, millions of people have walked these halls and marvelled at the beauty that Monet created in his studio at Giverny. Millions of people's breath was taken away by the colors and the vision this man had. Yet, he never saw this vision fully come to life. I am sobbing!

If you're even just remotely interested in Monet or impressionism, I would highly recommend this biography! It's one of the most interesting and extensive pieces of nonfiction I have ever read. It is so well researched and Daniel Wildenstein is a brilliant writer. 5/5 stars!

[E. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

--Monet, or the Triumph of Impressionism

Index of Proper Names
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements

[Carmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

À semelhança de outros colegas de profissão, Monet também se viu ignorado e tantas vezes o seu trabalho foi denegrido que admira como não desistiu. Os anos de penúria foram muitos e na luta para cumprir com todos os encargos financeiros ia contraindo dividas que tinha dificuldade em pagar e muitas vezes ignorava. O hábito ficou, e já um pintor de sucesso ainda mantinha uma relação muito próxima com o vil metal.
À parte os pecadilhos financeiros teve uma vida familiar bem-sucedida, apesar de alguns acidentes e desgostos que nunca, ou raramente, lhe retiraram o desejo de trabalhar. Perfecionista, tinha dificuldade em cumprir prazos e atrasava entregas porque havia sempre algo a melhorar, assim como destruiu inúmeras obras que considerava não atingirem a perfeição que ambicionava. Pintou até ao fim da sua vida já com enormes limitações visuais e de locomoção.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressionism demands a big book layout with full color prints, and this book completely delivers. I'll claim I read this book today, but I will be looking at it for a lifetime. Is there a better collection of Monet? THIS is how art books should be done! 9" x 12". So much fantastic text to read too.

I 'stole' this book from a used bookstore for $ vs the $$$$ it is worth. Timing! (This wasn't on their shelf a few days ago).

I saw the Monet collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. On "The Mall", free admission. Incredible collection. Artists can submit applications to set up an easel to recreate paintings.
Here is the Monet collection at NGA:
https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist...

[morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

monet will forever be my favourite artist.

[Anna C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wildenstein biography itself is very bland. He's way more interested in Monet's personal finances than, say, artistic analysis, historical context, character study, or pretty much anything that makes a biography worth reading. What were the technical innovations of the Rouen Cathedral series? Wildenstein doesn't offer a guess. How did outliving two wives affect Monet emotionally? To what extent is the understanding of color in his late work compromised by his failing sight? No answers. But if you want to know how much money Monet loaned to Pisarro, or how much money Durand-Ruel loaned him, or what Monet got in quarterly sales, or how much he owes his laundrywoman, or how much he paid his porter, or how many francs his painting sold for at the last auction.... basically if you only want to read a biography of Monet in order to attempt a posthumous audit, then I guess this is the book for you.

My star rating is boosted by the reproductions of the paintings themselves, which I can find no fault with. Art on every single page, frequent detail views, glossy paper, accurate treatment of color. Going through Monet's entire catalog in chronological sequence was the real revelation for me. I'd never realized how close his last experiments came to pure abstraction. I always rant about how much I hate Paris, but damn it, I need to see the Orangerie someday.

[Am Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have got a higher rating if the text hadn't killed my eyes - it's absolutely microscopic! The book itself is sort of half-letter-sized, and really thick. Why didn't the publisher choose to go with a larger size, like A4 or letter then? For one, the pictures at least would be bigger, and more importantly the text.

That irritating fact aside, the book itself was an interesting read, and showcases almost all of Monet's works throughout his life, from the pencil sketches and caricatures done from when he was a boy, to the final paintings at the end of his life. It details whatever can be gleaned of Monet's life from letters written by himself to others and vice versa.

The book also has actual photographs of many of the places Monet drew/painted - viewed from the same perspective, so you can compare them with his version.

[Jael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read some biographies before, but none as extensive as this one, as Wildenstein writes about all aspects of Monet's life: his art, his relationships, his travels, and his moods of the day. And that is what made reading this book so alluring. To read about his life, how Monet's art and impressionism slowly become more respected, and see his art evolve along the way, gave me a feeling that I might never experience again.

As someone who doesn't know the first thing about art (nor about Monet before reading), it could be hard at times to follow the developments of his painting career, especially since so many people were (not clearly) introduced and this biography contains A LOT of details. The last ~100-150 pages easily made up for that, however, as Wildenstein's account of Monet's trials and triumphs in his later life took me on a journey that made it difficult to put the book aside. I can only admire all the work he still produced and the love for his well-kept garden, at such an old age with all difficulties that come with it!

Yes, the majority of this biography is very dry to read, but once you really get into it, rooting for this artist to overcome his artistic challenges as you gawk at those beautiful images that pass by page by page, you suddenly feel like a front-row spectator of this story - a story that's real- that cannot be made-up.

[Momo García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aburrido a más no poder. No logro comprender por qué un autor escribiría una biografía tan detallada, llegando incluso a trazar el árbol genealógico de Monet o a mencionar los matices más ridículos sobre su bautizo. Mi única hipótesis es que quisieron replicar el estilo de la elle époque: frivolidad y autocomplacencia burguesa.

Las reproducciones pueden ser lo único que salve el honor de este volumen, pero el texto hace verlo como burdas producciones burguesas: sólo cosas que se ven "bonitas".

No quiero pensar mal y acertar, pero comienzo a sospechar por qué lo ofrecen con un descuento tan generoso, a pesar de haberse producido el año pasado...

[Stamen Parushev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very through examination of Mone's life. The book is concentrated on biography of the painter, very detailed description of his life - relations with his family, gallery owners, other painters and so on during all his lifespan. There isn't any critical theory of his art, or endless description of his paintings - which you can see with your eyes anyway, and this make from the book good narative, captivating like a novel, althought is entirely based on facts.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. Very good and detailed description of the life and art of the incredible artist Caude Monet.

[Laurence Theriault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Émouvant , cet artiste était déjà un gros coup de coeur , mais après cette lecture , je suis encore plus en admiration !

[Marta Linares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astonishing

[Anirudh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful edition which covers the life of Monet and talk about his art in detail. Great quality paper and wonderful pictures of Monet's art

[Alyssa Isaacson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, Daniel Wildenstein’s biography of Monet, Monet: The Triumph of Impressionism, was a fantastic book that went beyond the widely recognized paintings of water lilies and Japanese bridges. It was accurate, detailed, and provided interesting information along with plenty of illustrations of Monet’s paintings to support his statements. The table of contents and glossary were a nice touch as well, which made it efficient to search for a subject or a particular stage of Monet’s life. Wildenstein took a chronological approach to the bibliography and was especially easy to follow along through Monet’s life for those who had no prior knowledge. Another aspect that made Wildenstein’s biography a good read was its incorporation and explanation of his later impacts with the impressionist movement. In contrast, the only flaw I can see is the size and spacing of the text. The text is small, and combined with the fact that the text is compacted close together, it makes it a hard book to read despite the wonderful material and colorful pictures. However, the meticulous detail and work that went into this bibliography is incredible and provides a complete history upon the artist. From Monet’s birth, early styles of caricatures, marriage, oil paintings of nature, time in Paris under various mentors, impressionist movement, and death, Wildenstein made sure to include every aspect of Monet’s life. For example, here are a couple excerpts from the bibliography that demonstrate Wildenstein’s attention to fine detail and accuracy: “June 1898 marked a high point in Monet’s career. His work was exhibited in two major galleries simultaneously, in a mixed exhibition at Durand-Ruel’s and a solo at George Petit's” and “The few surviving works suggest that Monet’s output during his first stay in Paris was not substantial. Of his entire production of caricatures, if we except those of unidentified models which may equally date from his Le Havre days . . .”. These two excerpts are only a small example of Wildenstein’s descriptive yet informative language, and I highly suggest taking a read for yourself if you are interested in the history of Claude Monet and his impact on the art community. And lastly, for those wary of offensive content, Wildstein takes a very unbiased and removed stance on Monet- which is refreshing considering how many art books that are out there that criticize or praise the artist in question.

[Fasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meine Ausgabe ist die "Taschen Bibliotheca Universalis" von 2016 (etwas hochtrabender Titel für die gesamte Reihe an Büchern in diesem Verlag, aber bei dieser genialen Monet Biographie passt einfach alles). Wenn ich ehrlich bin, sprechen zwei der drei Gründe, warum ich dieses Buch gekauft habe, gegen mich. Aber wenigstens ist ein guter Grund auf meiner Seite.

1.) Im Gegensatz zur Mehrheit aller Kunstbücher da draußen war dieses Buch erstens preislich erschwinglich und ist zweitens mit ca. 15 cm x 23 cm (das ist der Umschlag; Seiten sind an sich dann bei 14 cm x 19,5 cm Höhe, wobei der Text an sich in Blocksatz gehalten ist und es einen äußeren Rand von ca. 4,5 cm gibt) perfekt für normalsterbliche Menschen zum Anfassen und Anschauen geeignet. Die Gemälde sind je nach Wichtigkeit oder Format mal auf einer halben, drittel oder ganzen Seite abgebildet. Manches erscheint auch nur klein am Rand, oder sogar, in seltenen Fällen mal über zwei Seiten im Querformat. Klar, die Kritiker werden sagen, ich solle gefälligst in ein Museum gehen oder mir die Bilder irgendwo mit Kamera und Leinwand an die Wand werfen. Ich ziehe es jedoch vor, mir ganz praktisch im Bett liegend stundenlang die Bilder anzuschauen. In mancher Woche häufiger, in mancher Woche seltener.

2.) Fast alles, was man wissen möchte, findet man heutzutage nach zehn Minuten Suchwörter durchklöppeln in den Suchmaschinen. Das Internet ist da ein magischer Ort. Und viele Biographien sind entweder unnötig schwer verständlich geschrieben, so als wolle ein Autor, dass Leser auf gar keinen Fall weiter lesen möchten oder aber die Infos im Internet sind umfangreicher als im Buch. Ich bezweifle aber, ob irgendetwas da draußen in der Welt an Daniel Wildenstein und seine über 600 Seiten herankommt. Wenn ein Nerd mit viel Herzblut seine Passion zusammenträgt und dir jedes Mini-Detail erschöpfend nahebringt, ist mein inneres Pessimismus-Grummeln besänftigt. Und ja, Menschen, die nicht so gute Augen haben wie ich, oder die Gemälde grundsätzlich nur an Wänden verstehen, weil Farben bei kleinerer Größe bekanntlich aufhören zu existieren – sollten das Buch besser meiden. Bin mir sogar unsicher, ob das Schriftgröße 10 ist oder eher doch 9. Ihr solltet dann für ein paar Goldbarren und Frondienst eins der Bücher direkt aus einem Museums-Shop kaufen. [Das war jetzt der eine gute Grund. Ich schätze harte, gute, tiefschürfende Schreibarbeit sehr. Ganz viel Liebe für Wildenstein an der Stelle. Möge seine Seele für immer da ruhen, wo die Regenbogen-Einhörner nicht allzu laut wiehern.]

3.) Das ist jetzt sehr subjektiv. Aber es ist ja auch mein goodreads Profil und mein Review. Daher: Viele Menschen da draußen interessieren mich einfach nicht. Selbst dann, wenn es sich um Künstler handelt. Gerade beim Thema Malerei bin ich vielleicht maximal an Da Vinci, an japanischen Holzschnitten und ein wenig an Dali interessiert. Aber meistens sind das dann eine Handvoll Bilder, die man auch über die google Bildersuche schnell erhält. Doch Claude Monet ist ein Unikat. Der Mann hat nichts Hässliches gemalt. Alles ist so interessant, faszinierend, voller emotionaler und subjektiver Zwischentöne. Man merkt richtig, warum die später mal "Impressionisten" genannt wurden. Man sieht es den Bildern immer wieder an, dass da jemand einfach die Staffelei an die frische Luft gestellt hat und eher daran interessiert war, die Stimmung oder Atmosphäre eines Motivs bei einer bestimmten Lichtstimmung einzufangen. Solche Gemälde wie "Die Felsnadel durch das Felsentor von Aval gesehen" (1885-86), die sämtlichen Studien mit der Frau und dem Sonnenschirm, die Seerosen-Gemälde, die verschiedenen Lichtstimmungen beim Porträtieren der Kathedrale von Rouen, beziehungsweise das Spiel mit verschiedenen Kontrasten, Farbübergängen, Verwaschungen, Unschärfen – alles, um die Emotion im Moment einzufangen, ist göttlich. Ironischerweise sind Monets eher präzise Werke mit festen Strichen, klaren Farben und Kontrasten eher die schwächeren Gemälde, obwohl sie technisch vermutlich sehr viel anspruchsvoller sind. (Bin kein Maler, kann daher nur logisch schlussfolgern, dass bei mehr Klarheit und steigenden Details, also einer Tendenz hin zum eher dokumentarischen Foto-Realismus das Malen sehr viel schwieriger ist).

Irgendwann muss ich mir mal ein paar Gemälde zumindest in klein selbst ausdrucken und an die Wand hängen. Allerdings ist es auch ganz nett, sich nicht zu sehr mit Kunst 'vollzufressen'. Wenn man das Buch ab und zu mal in die Hand nimmt und sich an den Gemälden erfreut und diese mindestens je zehn Minuten auf sich wirken lässt – so wie beispielsweise "Das Haus des Fischers in Varengeville" (1882) – wäre bestimmt auch Monet ganz zufrieden damit.

[Mike Parkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this Frenchman certainly knew his way around a paintbox, but you probably knew that already…Monet and Turner are in a league of their own for landscape art. Interesting parallels in that both started as rather traditionalist painters, and moved away from representationism to focus almost exclusively on colour and light.

The prints: First off, this book comes in two sizes. Goes without saying that you should get the big one…It’s massive, printed on high-quality paper, and an absolute bargain. Covers all aspects of Monet’s art well, although the man was so prolific that you can’t fit all of his good work into one volume. The only really surprising omission I found was that there are no prints (although there are photos) of the enormous Water Lilies series in the Orangerie.

The text: Thousands upon thousands of words that seemingly detail every franc Monet ever received, but provide little insight or analysis on his art. Even the most devoted Monet fan will find themselves reduced to skimming. I found Karin Sagner-Duchting’s Monet monograph (Claude Monet: A Feast for the Eyes, which is also excellent, although this volume surpasses it due to the number and reproduction quality of the prints) provided as much or more information in about ¼ of the words. All that page space that could have instead been devoted to including more prints, or showing them at larger sizes...the heart weeps. Another drawback is that the text was not written to align with the specific prints chosen.

The verdict: The large number of high-quality prints make it impossible to give this any less than 5 stars. Despite its flaws, this is the best single Monet book to own that I am aware of.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began reading this very detailed biography of Monet -- supplemented with countless color reproductions of his works (as well as several black and white photographs and sketches) -- several months ago.

Because of its length -- I read an Easton Press edition which numbered almost 600 -pages -- I intentionally plodded along reading just a few pages each evening, a pace which allowed me to drink in the story of his life as well as taking the time to revel in each painting.

Typical of what we have come to expect of the lives of extremely gifted persons, Monet's life was one of both trial and triumph. Until mid-career his life teetered rather precariously between day-to-day sustenance and relative comfort. Even after he was "recognized" -- and initially such recognition was hostile, too! -- it took him a while before he was able to begin feeling comfortable with the monetary returns his paintings brought him.

While I know there are books out there that feature his paintings with only a minimal amount of biographical material -- and these might be just the ticket for many -- I enjoyed learning a lot more about the life, interests, and persons involved with this remarkable man.

[Sophia T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have many conflicting, really just biased thoughts in this book. When I got halfway, I sort of gave up and just looked at the rest of the paintings. I love Monet and his painting, so I thought I would for once like a biography, but with the complex writing and intimidation of how big it was, it eventually got unenjoyable to read. I loved certain parts, but a lot of the time it was really repetitive and slow. I say this is biased because in general, I do not like nonfiction and/or biographers. So I knew I might not be able to get through it, but I tried. The pictures were pretty and I appreciate the back story and current location of the different pieces.

[SAM COPPER · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Monet: Or the Triumph of Impressionism" by Daniel Wildenstein is a comprehensive exploration of Monet's life and artistic journey. The book delves into the nuances of his Impressionist style, offering a rich narrative that intertwines the personal and professional aspects of the renowned artist's life. Wildenstein's meticulous research and vivid descriptions provide readers with a deeper appreciation for Monet's revolutionary contributions to the art world. The inclusion of Monet's lesser-known works and the historical context adds layers to the narrative, making it a compelling read for both art enthusiasts and those new to the subject.

[José Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...el exilado de Vétheuil tiene «un temperamento de artista dispuesto a abrirse paso y que supone una oportunidad tanto para la esperanza como para el fracaso»."

De lo mejor que he leído este año. Detallado y técnico, se nota la mano del autor, uno de los mayores conocedores del impresionismo. El tamaño del libro podría asustar, pero se compensa su impecable presentación y la completa muestra de trabajos que, combinada con bocetos y fotografías, complementa un libro ideal para los amantes de la pintura.

[Bilal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting this 'pretty chill' moment in a memoir. I'm talking about those 569+ 'magnum opus' painting by monsieur Monet (those so-called 'just' charcoal sketch and 69+ 'failed' lily-pad oil painting was ridiculously astonishing!) casually being display in my retina mac. Never been so excited to live in the moment (the last time was when I tried to flirt pathetically with my Turkish crush). Probably come back soon with my french immersion playlist.

A plus tard.

[Amanda]

2.5/5 stars, but I don't want my general dislike of nonfiction to affect overall rating

Very long and detailed, which is good for content, but hard if not 100% interested. I would recommend this if you are so so so interested in Monet and all (and I mean ALL) of his paintings. Otherwise, it is not an easy read. That said, it is well written, very thorough, and the writing style could have been a lot less interesting.

[Charlotte Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always loved Monet's work and I love looking out for them whenever I visit a museum that has any pieces by him. I'm glad to have finally read about his life and learned more about him, and this was a great book that showed his whole life, his struggles, his joys, and all the great works he created.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small but thick book is a beautiful showcase of Monet's work and life. I wish that some of the images that were printed at postage stamp size had been given more space, as there were a few of those that ended up being my favorites and I had to look them up online to see them well. A great introduction to his work.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monet was a sublime artist. As I wandered through his world of color and light, I felt that he painted not for praise, nor for approval, but for himself alone. Each brushstroke seemed imperfect, unfinished, almost reckless, yet together they formed a harmony only a human soul could create. In the union of all those flaws, his paintings became perfect: breathing, trembling, alive.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed history with very clear illustrations. I do wish that more of the plates were full page so that I could see even more detail, but it is an impressive catalogue of work, and shows many of his paintings of the same location in different light, which I love.

[Rhys Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a treasure for anyone interested in art and the Impressionist movement. Wildenstein's meticulous research and deep understanding of Monet's life and art shine through on every page. I couldn't put it down!

[Darin Dykstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book with everything to know about Monet. Very detailed and interesting filling in the history of his personal life and struggles, while being able to see the success of his paintings being appreciated.

[Merahnaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku yang indah. Taschen membuat edisi-edisi bagus yang menggairahkan.