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| The Manneporte (Etretat) - 1883 |
Monet found subjects to paint in his immediate surroundings, the places he knew best. The Manneport, a huge natural arch jutting out into the sea, commanded Monet's attention during his stay on the English Channel Coast. Etretat was a small fishing village on the Normandy coast. Ordinary people were attracted to the rock because of its natural shape. Monet, however, concentrated on his own changing perception of it at different times of the day.
From this view, Monet positioned his easel facing west to take advantage of the low illumination of the setting sun. His thick brush strokes describe for us the motion of the choppy waters. Monet painted the Manneporte multiple times.
We learn from Claude Monet that things are not always what they seem. The human eye can be tricked and deceived. A busy street in the morning will look like another street altogether when evening comes. Monet created many paintings of the same subject observed under different weather conditions, different seasons, and different times of the day. He held a fascination for the transitory effects of natural light. It was his goal to immortalize fleeting moments. Nature was his main source of inspiration.
One thing about Nature......it provides us all with a continuous cycle of changing inspiration and perception. Art is like a universal language that helps us understand and appreciate the world around us in a richer way.
Intriguing.
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