# Claude Monet - Source: Kiddle (kids.kiddle.co), CC BY-SA 3.0, Kiddle encyclopedia, adapted from Wikipedia - Reading level: Grade 5 - Subjects: Artists, Arts and Culture, People - Topics: monet, camille, museum, hosched, painting, paintings - Length: 1203 words, about 9 min - Published: 2025-10-17 - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: ![Claude Monet 1899 Nadar crop.jpg](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-9819075f10.jpg) **Oscar-Claude Monet** (born November 14, 1840 – died December 5, 1926) was a famous French painter. He is known as the founder of a painting style called Impressionism. The name "Impressionism" came from his painting *Impression, soleil levant*, shown in 1874. Monet tried to paint nature exactly as he saw it. Throughout his long career, he always followed the idea of Impressionism. This meant showing how he felt about nature in his art. Some of his most famous paintings include his series of haystacks (1890–91) and paintings of the Rouen Cathedral (1894). He also spent the last 20 years of his life painting the water lilies in his garden in Giverny. ## Monet's Early Life and Art ![Claude Monet - Camille](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-ec195762ef.jpg) *The Woman in the Green Dress*, showing Camille Doncieux, 1866, Kunsthalle Bremen Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris, France. He was the second son of Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée Monet. Monet grew up in Le Havre, Normandy. He became interested in the outdoors and drawing when he was young. His mother supported his dream of becoming a painter. However, his father wanted him to work in business instead. In 1851, he started at Le Havre secondary school of the arts. He took his first drawing lessons from Jacques-François Ochard. Around 1858, he met another artist, Eugène Boudin. Boudin taught Monet how to paint outdoors, a style called "en plein air". Monet felt that Boudin taught him everything important for his later success. Monet was very close to his mother. She died in January 1857 when he was 16. After her death, he went to live with his wealthy aunt, Marie-Jeanne Lecadre. His aunt supported his early art career. ## Paris and Military Service ![Monet dejeunersurlherbe](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-19eae3827f.jpg) *Le déjeuner sur l'herbe* (right side), 1865–1866, Paris. It shows Gustave Courbet, Frédéric Bazille and Camille Doncieux, Monet's first wife. Now at Musée d'Orsay. ![Carolus-Duran - Portrait de Claude Monet - Musée Marmottan Monet](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-405c10c9ed.jpg) *Portrait of Claude Monet*, by Carolus-Duran, around 1867. From 1858 to 1860, Monet continued his art studies in Paris. He joined Académie Suisse and met Camille Pissarro in 1859. His early paintings included landscapes, seascapes, and portraits. But they did not get much attention. Monet was called to serve in the military service. He served in Algeria from 1861 to 1862. He returned to Le Havre because he became ill. When he came back to Paris, his father allowed him to continue painting. He studied at Charles Gleyre's studio. There, he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Frédéric Bazille. Bazille became his closest friend. During this time, Monet painted *Women in Garden*. This was his first successful large painting. He also painted *Le déjeuner sur l'herbe*, which was very important for his early career. ## The Rise of Impressionism ![Claude Monet, Impression, soleil levant](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-15f745af8a.jpg) *Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant)*, 1872. This painting gave its name to the Impressionist art movement. It is at the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris. ![Sargent MonetPainting](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-755d9b0565.jpg) John Singer Sargent, *Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood*, 1885, Tate Britain Monet was inspired by other painters like Pissarro and Édouard Manet. In 1874, Monet showed his paintings at the first Impressionist exhibition. These included *Impression, Sunrise*, *The Luncheon*, and *Boulevard des Capucines*. An art critic named Louis Leroy wrote a harsh review. He noticed *Impression, Sunrise* (1872), which showed the port of Le Havre in a hazy way. He used the word "Impressionism" to describe it. At first, this word was meant as a joke, suggesting the painting looked unfinished. ![Edouard Manet 010](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-ef087e16d1.jpg) Édouard Manet, *Claude Monet in Argenteuil*, 1874, Neue Pinakothek. Monet tried to sell *Impression: Sunrise* for 1000 francs, but it did not sell. Another exhibition was held in 1876. Monet showed 18 paintings, including *The Beach at Sainte-Adresse*, which showed many Impressionist features. For the third exhibition in 1877, he chose seven paintings from his series of Gare Saint-Lazare train station. Critics liked these paintings. They especially praised how he captured the trains arriving and leaving. Monet's last time showing with the Impressionists was in 1882. Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and others started trying new ways to paint reality. They did not like the dark, strong lighting of older paintings. Instead, they used lighter colors, like those used by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Boudin. Monet's paintings from the early 1870s had a big impact on the Impressionist movement. ![Monet, Claude - View At Rouelles, Le Havre (1858)](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-ffd92023fd.jpg) *View at Rouelles, Le Havre* 1858, an early work. ![Claude Monet - Mouth of the Seine](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-e125827584.jpg) *Mouth of the Seine at Honfleur*, 1865, Norton Simon Foundation. ![Claude Monet - La Vague Verte](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-64027f794a.jpg) *The Green Wave*, 1866, Metropolitan Museum of Art. ![Claude Monet 024](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-99f9b5cc38.jpg) *Women in the Garden*, 1866–1867, Musée d'Orsay, Paris. ![Claude Monet 022](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-584618948a.jpg) *Woman in the Garden*, 1867, Hermitage, St. Petersburg. This painting studies how sunlight and shadow affect color. ![Claude Monet - Jardin à Sainte-Adresse](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-17203bda4f.jpg) *Garden at Sainte-Adresse*, 1867, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. ![Claude Monet La Grenouillére](https://sprout.rootsofreason.org/media/kiddle-claude-monet-1ec540383b.jpg) *La Grenouillére* 1869, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. ## Monet's Family Life In 1867, Monet's girlfriend, Camille Doncieux, had their first child, Jean. Monet had met Camille two years earlier when she modeled for his paintings. Monet loved Jean very much. He even said Camille was his wife so Jean would be seen as his rightful son. Because of this relationship, Monet's father stopped giving him money. Monet married Camille on June 28, 1870. He loved his family deeply and painted many portraits of them. One example is *Child with a cup, a portrait of Jean Monet*. In 1876, Camille Monet became very ill. Their second son, Michel, was born in 1878. After Michel's birth, Camille's health got worse. She died the next year. Her death made Monet very sad and affected his work. In 1892, Monet married Alice Hoschedé. She was the widow of a friend. Alice's third daughter, Suzanne, became Monet's favorite model after Camille. ## Picture credits - Nadar, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Carolus-Duran, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - John Singer Sargent, Public domain () - Édouard Manet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain () - Claude Monet, Public domain ()