CLAUDE MONET - 6

The Four Trees - 1891

During the summer and fall seasons of 1891, Monet painted a series of poplar trees along the Epte River, at Giverny.  His completing the series was temporarily threatened when the village of Limetz, across the river from Epte, decided to sell the trees at auction.  Monet paid a local lumber merchant to ensure that the trees stayed standing until he finished the series.  He painted some of the pictures from the riverbank, and others (like this one) from a boat specially made with grooves to hold multiple canvases.  Monet painted a total of 24 pictures of the poplar trees from his floating studio.

In this series of paintings, he returned to the same place over the course of a year to capture different times of the day and seasons.  The poplar tree symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth, and the balance between spirituality and practicality.  "The leaves of the poplar trees rustle in the wind, creating a living orchestra of sounds that invites people to immerse themselves in the flow of life."  

It must also be noted that since the time of the French Revolution of 1789, the poplar was considered The Tree of Liberty for the French.  Following the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), this symbolism was revived.  By painting poplar trees, Monet was celebrating his nation's independence as much as its beautiful ever-changing landscape....

Other paintings in this series

"What I'll do here will at least have the merit of not resembling anyone else,

because it will be the impression of what I've felt,

all by myself."

~Claude Monet~

Monet's paintings teach us about light and color, and his paintings capture a fleeting moment in nature.  Light and color keep changing throughout the day and with the different weather conditions.  He said that he wanted to paint directly from nature and sought to convey his impressions of nature's temporary effects.