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Claude
Oscar Monet was born on November 14, 1840. His
first art was in the form of caricature, but
he then switched to landscapes by his early
mentor and teacher Eugene Boudin. From this
teaching, Monet derived his lifelong tendency
to paint out of doors, thus capturing the lights
and shadows that defined his work. In 1859,
he moved to Paris to study at the Atelier Suisse
and while there, formed a friendship with Camille
Pissarro, starting a trend for him to befriend
some of the great contemporary painters of his
day. He learned much from these associations
and it reflected in his work. His life also
revolved around war as he joined the military
and was stationed in Algiers.
Later during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870
to 1871, he had to take refuge in England to
continue his work. In 1878 he moved to Vétheuil
and in 1883 he settled at Giverny, also on the
Seine, but about 40 miles from Paris. After
having experienced extreme poverty, Monet began
to prosper. By 1890 he was successful enough
to buy the house at Giverny he had previously
rented and in 1892 he married his mistress,
with whom he had begun an affair in 1876, three
years before the death of his first wife.
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