The name Claude Monet is no longer strange to art lovers. People know him for his masterpieces such as Waterlilies, Woman with a Parasol, Springtime... But did you know that Monet also had a "living work" that he cherished very much? It was a passionate garden full of flowers and grass located in the middle of the peaceful town of Giverny, France.
The artist's dream garden
In the 1880s, after spending nearly four decades traveling to distant lands, passionately creating masterpieces; Claude Monet cherished the dream of building a simple life, a small and colorful "kingdom" of his own to peacefully and freely create art. He found it on a train passing through Giverny - a suburb of Paris.
The famous painting Monet
The tranquility and coolness of the countryside air, the rows of trees and flowers blooming in the midst of the pure nature, the classic and spacious house overlooking the vast garden immediately captured the heart of the old painter. The dream came true right before his eyes. Monet immediately rented this land in 1883 and devoted all his heart to renovating it into a beautiful world before officially buying it back in 1890.
A master of color and light, Monet arranged the flowers in his garden as if he were painting a giant work of art that he had cherished all his life. Bright flowers such as hollyhocks, peonies, tulips, poppies and irises were arranged in harmonious beds, creating a poetic picture full of color and vitality.
The main entrance is decorated with giant green arches supporting soft climbing rose branches, leading people into a fairy-tale world. The two-story house where the Monet family lived also had an equally charming color scheme: the facade was painted pale pink, the windows were striking green; while the interior was decorated with bright tones of impressionism such as yellow, blue...
The villa is covered with flowers
If you have ever been moved by Monet's water lily paintings, you will surely know that they were created in the garden that was added in 1893. The idea for this part of the garden was inspired by the poetic scenes in the Japanese woodcuts that he loved so much. Here, there is a small green wooden bridge covered with wisteria flowers spanning a pond of water lilies that sparkles the color of the sky. The image of the water surface cradling the fragile flowers became a popular theme in Monet's paintings during this period.
He was passionate about depicting the effects of light reflecting on the pond surface at different times of the day: green, blue, purple, yellow… appearing one after another under his skillful brushstrokes. Along the pond banks were weeping willows and bamboo rows, always filled with chirping birds, adding color and sound to the beautiful "forest".
When World War I broke out, the garden became a refuge, soothing Monet from the harsh reality; and then when the war ended, the old artist celebrated by giving the l'Orangerie museum eight giant water lily paintings that are still on display in Paris today.
Famous lotus painting
Visit the Garden of Eden
After Monet’s death in 1926, the house and gardens passed to his son. The Second World War left the site devastated and it was not restored until 1977, when the sparkling glass was shattered by bombings, the floors rotted, the staircase collapsed and the pond was buried in rubble.
After nearly 10 years of renovation and restoration, the garden and house finally regained their former splendor. Monet's favorite flowers were replanted, the interior of the house was restored to its original 19th-century appearance, and even the paintings were recreated to display in the art studio where Monet once passionately created his drawings.
Entrance to the renovated villa
The lovely town of Giverny has since become a popular tourist destination. They come here to stroll around the lotus pond, visit the small wooden bridge, admire the blooming flowers, explore the house where the great artist once lived and admire the paintings that made his name.
The garden at Giverny is the starting point of a journey in both space and time, taking people inside the paintings full of light and color, and also back to the past to feel the free life and romantic soul of the great artist.
"We must see Monet at Giverny to truly understand Monet, to know his personality, his lifestyle preferences and his inner self"
_Gustave Geffroy_
The ideal time to visit Giverny is in spring when the flowers begin to bloom, full of life and the whole garden shines under the pure and sparkling golden sunlight. Only 75km from Paris, this place is suitable for day trips by train, bus or private car.
Information
- Address: 84 Rue Claude Monet, Giverny, France.
- Opening hours: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
- Ticket price: 7.5 - 13 euros
