An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Still Life with Pheasants and Plovers1879
Artist: Claude Monet
French, 1840 - 1926
Still life with pheasants and plovers laid out on a white tablecloth
26 3/4 × 35 1/2 in. (67.9 × 90.2 cm) (canvas)
33 5/8 × 42 1/4 × 3 1/2 in. (85.4 × 107.3 × 8.9 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
France
19th century
Gift of Anne Pierce Rogers in memory of John DeCoster Rogers
In a serene moment within nature's embrace, the air swirled with color and light, where iridescent plumage glistened like a jewel against the backdrop of a gentle dusk. It was here, in the late 1870s, that Claude Monet found his muse in the regal form of a ring-necked pheasant. Each stroke of his brush sought to capture not just the bird, but the very essence of life itself—vivid and shimmering, seemingly bursting from the canvas.
As Monet worked, he played with hues that danced across the surface, weaving an enchanting tapestry of color. The vibrant greens, rich blues, and warm russets reflected the enchanting light filtering through leaves, bringing forth a pulse of life that contradicted the grim reality of his subject, a reminder of what it meant to see the beauty within even the most challenging of themes.
In 1882, this masterpiece found its way to the Seventh Impressionist Exhibition, where it stood as a shimmering beacon among the others. Monet, deeply aware of the connections between life and art, chose this particular painting from three closely related works. It was as if he felt an undeniable presence in this canvas—a definitive expression, a culmination of his artistic vision.
Through this stunning portrayal, Monet not only captured a moment in time but also conveyed a profound narrative that reached beyond the brushstrokes, inviting viewers to see the world through a lens of wonder and beauty. The pheasant, with its dazzling plumage, became not just a subject, but a story—a celebration of life distilled onto a canvas for all to witness.
About the artist
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