*Painting: Water Lilies (1907) by Claude Monet. Oil on canvas

*The horizontal surface of the pool has become vertical- the waterlily islands and the reflections of trees and sky — which usually lie on the horizontal plane of the water — painted vertically

*Lavenders and violets in the foreground of Waterlilies suggest cool early morning light- dawn

*Harmony between colours, the reflection in pond in the foreground is a reflection of Monet’s love for his wife

*Background- Darker colours problems in life are rooted in the back of his mind- let the love overrule the problems.

*Significance to artist: Representation of his love towards his wife

*Significance to viewer: life can be

harmonious if we place an effort into it-never

ending harmony…

*Harmonious cool colours (green/blue/purple) - depicting the effect of light

*Soft, but visible, strokes (common technique of Impressionism) – capture the essence rather than the details

*Has perception of nature – inspired by the ponds and landscapes of Giverny

*Fond of controlled nature- varying light and weather conditions- different points and times of the day

*Many layers in painting- thick textures. Typical of impressionistic paintings.

*First layer, thinner, smoother brush strokes brush strokes become shorter and more dense as the layers build up.

*Delicate curved linear brushstrokes -slow the movement of the eye. First look towards the silvery pink pond into the illusory depths of the dark reflections.

*Sense that we are looking over the pond & our eyes drags us towards the background of the painting

*The colours Monet used are calming

*It is a beautiful painting depicting the beauty of nature

*Monet painted the lilies due to the love for his wife - Love not light reflected in the pond of Monet’s Water Lilies

*Can see the feminine beauty of the water lilies

*Decision based on sense perception and emotion