Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1865 – 1866; France) by Claude Monet

Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe - Claude Monet - 1865 - 1866; France

Artwork Information

TitleLe Déjeuner sur l'herbe
ArtistClaude Monet
Date1865 - 1866; France
Mediumoil
Dimensions248 x 217 cm
Art MovementImpressionism

About Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe

The artwork “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” is an oil painting created by Claude Monet between 1865 and 1866 in France. This piece, measuring 248 x 217 cm, is an exemplary representation of the Impressionist movement, characterized by its depiction of ordinary life in a genre painting style.

“Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” depicts a convivial outdoor scene set in a forest clearing, with a group of elegantly attired individuals engaged in a leisurely picnic. In the foreground, a woman in a white dress with pink accents sits on the grass, reaching across a picnic blanket strewn with baskets, fruits, and bottles of wine, indicative of a sumptuous feast. She is accompanied by a bearded gentleman reclining beside her, who appears to be engaged in a casual conversation, his head propped by his hand as he leans on his elbow. A second lady, dressed in an elaborate, ruffled blue costume, stands beside a standing gentleman who is clad in a hat and a long jacket, watching over the scene with a protective stance. The dappled light filtering through the canopy above bathes the tableau in a luminous quality that is signature to Monet’s works, highlighting the spontaneity and transient nature of light and color which Impressionism sought to capture. The overall composition conveys a serene yet ephemeral moment, alive with the freshness of the outdoors and the relaxed atmosphere of a pastoral outing.

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