People Editor
As spring arrives in the Bay Area, the De Young Museum in San Francisco is hosting the Monet and Venice Exhibition with over a hundred pieces of art. From Mar. 21 to Jun. 26, some of Claude Monet’s most experimental and accomplished work is on display in the Bay Area.
Born in 1840, Claude Monet started making sketches of locals and learned his en plein air technique of painting outdoors from landscape painter Eugene Boudin. Monet’s art style evolved from detailed and realistic renditions to new and abstract Impressionism. Impressionism rejects the contemporary dark and traditional style of the French Academy, and centers instead around capturing a fleeting moment and focusing on light, atmosphere, and color as opposed to form. The groundbreaking movement was even named after Monet’s painting entitled Impression, Sunrise, a striking red sun in a hazy Parisian port.
Throughout his life, Monet only visited Venice for ten weeks, yet created almost 40 oil paintings in this short span of time. The collection of Venetian paintings, which are often regarded as some of his best works, continues to be remembered for their unique use of architecture, color and light. Monet painted some Venetian sights numerous times to depict the fleeting effects of time and weather on these sights. Along with Monet’s paintings, the exhibition also displays portrayals of Venice by other impressionists like Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and masters such as John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Antonio Canaletto. Among the featured paintings, Monet’s several renditions of the Grand Canal stand out as he depicts the waterway through many different conditions, often in a dream-like manner. The De Young’s exhibit also includes some of Monet’s most famous pieces, like the Water Lilies, the Japanese Footbridge, and San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk.
This is the first dedicated exhibit to Monet’s work in Venice since the paintings’ debut in the early twentieth century, which is a collaboration between the Brooklyn Museum and the De Young. Aside from the current display of Monet’s work, the De Young boasts an impressive collection of pieces from artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Sol LeWitt. As a part of the museum’s rotating collection, Ugandan-American artist Leilah Babirye presents her sculptures titled Leilah Babirye: We Have a History. Additionally, the McCoy Jones collection of textiles is shown in galleries 50a and 60. This features rugs and embroideries, highlighting different communities and cultures across Central Asia and the Middle East.
Regarding its general admission, the De Young is free for those who are 17 years old or younger. Whether to escape a rainy day or to catch a glimpse of some of the greatest works of impressionism, the Monet exhibit offers a rare chance to take a look at Venice through the famous painter’s eyes.
Categories: Local News