Home › Authors › Claude Monet
Claude Monet Quotes
1840–1926 France
Oscar-Claude Monet (November 14, 1840 – December 5, 1926) was a French painter, and a leading artist in the French Impressionist art movement. Impressionism expresses one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting.
Also known as: Monet
Random Claude Monet quote
39 quotes
Zaandam is particularly remarkable and there is enough here to paint for a life-time.
I have not been able to see a bit of sea or any water at all; everything is frozen and covered with snow.
Since the appearance of Impressionism, the official salons, which used to be brown, have become blue, green, and red.. .But peppermint or chocolate, they are still confections.
I can no longer work outside because of the intensity of the light.
I didn't become one.. .As long as I can remember I've always been one.
Charles F. Stuckey (1985)
Nothing in the whole world is of interest to me but my painting and my flowers.
By way of news, I can tell you that Couture, that bad-tempered fellow, has completely given up painting. It's no great pity; in this exhibition, he had some really bad paintings.
Once settled, I hope to produce masterpieces, because I like the countryside very much.
It's quite beyond my powers at my age, and yet I want to succeed in expressing what I feel.
I climb up, go down again, then climb up once more; between all my studies, as a relaxation I explore every footpath, always curious to see something new.
The sea is superb, but the cliffs don't match up to those at Fecamp. Here I'll be certain to do more boats.
his letter from Dieppe; as quoted in: Howard F. Isham (2004)
..but what a pity that I did not come here [in Venice] when I was younger and more adventurous.
I am absolutely sickened with and demoralized by this life, I've been leading for so long. When you get to my age, there is nothing more to look forward to.
I insist upon 'doing it alone'.. .I have always worked better alone and from my own impressions.
Ninety percent of the theory of Impressionist painting is in.. ..Ruskin's Elements.
It seems to me, when I see nature, that I see it ready made, completely written — but then, try to do it! All this proves that one must think of nothing but them [impressions]; it is by dint of observation and reflection that one makes discoveries.
I have a dream a picture of the bathing spot at the Grenouillere, for which I've made a few poor sketches, but it is a dream. Renoir, who has just spent two months here, also wants to do this painting.
I am working as hard as I possibly can, and do not even dream of doing anything except the cathedral. It is an immense task.
In Paris one is too preoccupied by what one sees and what one hears, however strong one is; what I am doing here has, I think, the merit of not resembling anyone, because it is simply the expression of what I myself have experienced.
It is decidedly frightfully difficult to make something complete in all respects, and I think that there are scarcely any but those who content themselves with the approximate.
Topics Claude Monet is quoted on
Works