12 October 2009 – 26 February 2010
This autumn Helly Nahmad Gallery presents a retrospective exhibition by the acknowledged principal of the French Impressionist school, Claude Monet.
Taking in his diverse styles from the 1870s as he explored a wide range of subjects in all seasons and all types of weather in his commitment to painting in front of his motif, to the archetypal scenes of summer sunlight on the Seine at Argenteuil and the rural town of Vétheuil. This chronological survey touches on the artist’s trips to London and Venice and the series works he embarked on at the turn of the century; depicting the essential character of these great cities enveloped by the most atmospheric effects of dense smog or luminous light.
A full colour catalogue, limited to an edition of 500, will accompany the exhibition and is annotated with the poetry and musings of contemporaries; as a student in Paris, Monet was inspired by the writings of Charles Baudelaire, formed a personal and professional alliance with Stéphane Mallarmé and shared a strong affinity with the music of Claude Debussy.
