joy magnetism: Impressions of Monet




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Monday, July 7, 2008

Impressions of Monet

Magnet #136 - Giverny, France

If the picture in the magnet to the left looks familiar, it very well should.

It's Monet's water garden, which Monet had custom-designed, after he purchased the land across the railway from his home in Giverny, France. If you look superclose, you can see the Japanese bridge far in the background, and in the foreground, you can see the clouds reflected in the water, among the water lilies that he was so fond of painting.

My parents and I did a side trip to Giverny...my father was glad for a day not spent in yet another museum, and my mother was entranced by the gorgeous gardens. Our train trip started from Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris - the subject of another Monet painting, and it ended in the sweet, sleepy little village of Giverny. Then on to Monet's house for the tour (of course) of the house and the gardens.

I have to say, there was something truly special about being in the very place of several of Monet's masterpieces. It was like seeing all of his impressions come to life as we walked where he walked, sat where he sat, and took pictures of what he painted.

We enjoyed ourselves so much, that we almost missed our train ride back to Paris that evening. Seriously. We hurriedly walked all the way back to the station, and I was so worried that we'd end up having to stay out in Giverny, without anything but the clothes on our backs, and speaking un peu Francais.

I was busily bargaining with every higher being I could think of, while my parents were totally cool about it, just being merry, la-di-dah travelers, having put all of their faith into me just getting the job done and us back to Paris.

Oh, it turned out just fine, but man, it's hard work being in travelcharge!

eta:
Having hit the Publish Post button and seeing this magnet in my blog layout, I have one thing to say: Oh, how pretty! Blue and green!

Hee. It's just so lovely that I had to say it. Forgive me, it's my favorite color combination in the entire world.
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5 comments:

The Geek said...

I agree, blue-and-green IS lovely, but lately I've had a thing for blue and orange. It doesn't really work in most settings, though: you can't decorate a room or office with that color scheme, and you certainly can't run around dressed like a Knicks fan (heaven forbid). But I've noticed all my recent paintings have heavily featured blue and orange. No other opposites on the color wheel look that cool next to each other...

And on the subject of Monet, did you know (actually, I'm sure you do, since you took the tour) that the current theory of why his style was so blotchy and washy was that he was actually suffering from macular degeneration, and as his eye sight deteriorated those fuzzy lillies were really what he was seeing, and not necessarily him being "impressionistic"?

jen said...

You know, Richard Armitage played a young Monet. .... IJS.

joy said...

GG, I love that you totally called out Tuesday's magnet story. Awesome.

And, I'm basically partial to blue and any color, but can understand why you'd not like the Knicks (and/or Mets) colors. Maybe a deeper blue, which I love.

And, jen, yes, yes, I know, I have to add the Impressionists to my Netflix queue. However, I don't think I realized until now that RA played Monet.

Oh! Speaking of! GG, when you're done with DW...something to add to your queue, if you're at all a Jane Austen/Mr. Darcy fan: the BBC version of North & South. You'll find yourself possibly throwing over Darcy for Thornton. It's just. that. good.

The Geek said...

...Really? Consider my interest piqued. I LOVE Jane Austen. I've practically memorized the BBC Pride and Prejudice, as well as Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility. And as much as I respect your opinion when it comes to validity and worthiness of television shows... Really? I'd like him more than Darcy? Colin Firth's Darcy?

And so my list of things to watch grows...

joy said...

Heh. Don't take just my word for it, there's whole message boards devoted to the wonder that is Richard Armitage...simply because of his portrayal of Mr. Thornton.

And those boards are filled with die-hard Colin Firth fans, who are torn between the two.

I'll stop building it up, but will say one last thing - when you Netflix, make sure you get both discs at the same time. I know of people who ran out to buy it over the weekend, because they couldn't wait to get the second disc. I'm just sayin'.