Women in the Garden

What it is

This large oil painting was begun in 1866 by Claude Monet, then 26 years old, and painted outdoors (en plein air) in the garden of a rented property. Because the canvas was so tall, Monet lowered part of it into a trench he dug so he could keep a single viewpoint. His companion and future wife, Camille Doncieux, posed for all the women. It is now held by the Musée d'Orsay.

Why it matters

The painting was rejected by the 1867 Salon for weak subject matter, and a judge criticised the loose brushwork that would later become a hallmark of Impressionism. The painter Frédéric Bazille bought the work to support Monet financially during a time of poverty. Though later critics felt the figures were poorly integrated into the scene, the treatment of light and shadow is often praised and may have pointed Monet toward his future artistic direction.

Look closer

• How did Monet use light and shadow across the dresses and foliage?
• Why might the Salon judges have objected to this painting's subject and style?
• What does the story of its purchase by Bazille tell you about artists supporting each other?