Claude Monet

Early Life

Claude Monet was born in 1840 in Paris, France, but he grew up near the sea in a town called Le Havre. As a child, he loved drawing and often made funny sketches of his teachers and neighbors.

Monet enjoyed being outdoors more than sitting in a classroom. He liked watching the sky, the water, and how sunlight changed colors during the day.

Discovering Art

When Monet was a teenager, he met another artist who taught him to paint outside instead of inside a studio. This was exciting because Monet could paint real scenes exactly as he saw them.

He moved to Paris to study art, but he did not always agree with the rules of art schools. Monet wanted to paint freely and follow his own ideas.

Creating Impressionism

Monet and his friends started a new art style called Impressionism. Instead of painting tiny details, they painted quick brushstrokes to show light, movement, and feeling.

One of Monet’s paintings was called *Impression, Sunrise*. A critic used the word “Impressionist” to joke about it, but Monet and his friends liked the name and kept it.

Love for Nature

Monet loved nature and painted the same places many times. He believed light changed everything, so a scene in the morning looked different in the evening.

Later in life, Monet created a beautiful garden in Giverny, France. He painted his water lilies, bridges, and flowers over and over again.

Challenges and Success

Life was not always easy for Monet. Sometimes he did not have much money, and people did not always understand his art.

Over time, his paintings became very popular. People began to see how special his work was, and Monet became famous around the world.

Legacy

Claude Monet passed away in 1926, but his art still inspires people today. His paintings are displayed in museums and loved by millions.

Monet taught the world to look closely at nature and enjoy the beauty of light and color.