The artwork “Woman with a Parasol, Facing Right,” also known as “Study of a Figure Outdoors (Facing Right),” was painted by the renowned Impressionist artist Claude Monet in 1886. As part of the Impressionist movement, this portrait exudes the qualities of light, movement, and spontaneity that are characteristic of Monet’s work.
In this painting, we observe a female figure holding a parasol, dressed in a white garment with a sun hat, standing amidst a windswept landscape. The strokes of vibrant color in her attire and the parasol contrast with the more subdued tones of the sky and the flurry of greens and earth tones in the vegetation surrounding her. The brushwork is loose and energetic, capturing the essence of the moment rather than the fine details. The subject appears to be at ease, yet poised, giving the viewer a sense of both tranquility and immediacy, a hallmark of Impressionist art. Monet’s mastery of light and its effects is evident in the way the sunlight filters through her parasol and illuminates her dress and surroundings.