Monet: Vetheuil

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This wonderful landscape by Monet conveys the shimmering and energetic feeling of the summer sun on water, buildings and land.
Monet created about 30 paintings of Vetheuil according to his usual method en plein air and showing the effect of light on the subject at different times of the day.
  • Vetheuil (pron: Ve-tey-ee)
  • At the time Monet painted Vetheuil it had only 600 inhabitants
  • It is about 10km from the nearest railway station
  • Painted from Monet's boat
  • Sitting on a busy trade route between Rouen and Paris. Monet has chosen not to portray any river traffic
  • Features a 13c gothic church
Title: Monet: Vetheuil 1879 No.2
Original Title: Vetheuil
Creator: Claude Monet
Date Created: 1879
Style: Nineteenth-Century European Painting Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Physical Dimensions: 810(w) x 600(h) mm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Provenance: National Gallery of Victoria, Australia 1937

Colours

Palette: Basic Magenta Burnt Umber Orange Australian Sap Green

What will we learn in this session?

Monet Monet Brush Strokes Flat Brush Chevreul Colour System Water

Process

Tone

Start with a warm toned canvas to contrast with the predominantly cool palette of the painting.

Sketch


Divide the canvas into thirds and make a tonal sketch of the architectural features.
Refine the detail of the cathedral.

Blocking


We mix the most prominent colours and block them in with loose, gestural strokes.
Then we glaze the painting and have a nice cup of tea as the glaze dries (about 20 min).

Texture


Buildings.

Sky and clouds.

Constructing clouds with warm highlights and cool shadows.

Trees.

Land and water.

Developing the textures.


My final version enables students to closely examine the brushtrokes, which are not easily descernible in a 2D reproduction.

Resources

Hi-res scan at Google Arts & Culture
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