I was very fortunate to grow up seeing at in Chicago with school trips. It was there I was introduced to many artists and also where I fell in love with the impressionist painters. Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh became my favorites. Why these two when there were so many, I'm not sure. I feel a connection, I love the colors, and their paintings resonate with me. Many years ago, as a teenager, I saw Monet's paintings of the Water Lilies of Giverny at the Art Institute. I remember walking into a dark room and the paintings stood under light long and huge reflecting a place of dreams and color.
The day after visiting Giverny and Monet's garden's I went first thing in the morning to the Musee de L"Orangerie where the Water Lily paintings hang in two large light oval shaped rooms.
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| The Water Lilies of Giverny |
The paintings took my breath away again as they did many years ago.
I don't know that I always wanted to go to see Monet's home over all these years. I guess in a way, it never seemed possible until I started doing research for this trip. When I realized I could see the place, I purchased a ticket.
I took the early train to Giverny so I would arrive as the gardens opened for the day. The train leaves out of the Saint Lazare station one of the places that Monet painted when he was in Paris.
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| Saint Lazare Station today. No longer the smoke and steam from the trains. |
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| Gare Saint Lazare as painted by Monet |
It was beautiful.
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| Water Lilies of Giverny |
For more photos from Giverny Check out my Flickr Album of France or with this photo Time and Giverny start here.
In his home, the rooms were filled with light and art. It was a place meant for work (painting and gardening, sleep, pleasure, and visitors. If there was no window, there were paintings hanging on the walls.
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| Monet's Studio |
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| Monet's bedroom |
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| View from Monet's bedroom window. Now that's a great way to wake up each day. |
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