Claude Monet
From July 4th until July 27th in DailyArt on Saturdays and Tuesdays we will present pieces from the magnificent collection of Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands. Today we have this rather unusual Monet, please enjoy!
In 1871, French painter Claude Monet stayed in Zaandam for four months. During this period he made 24 cityscapes and landscapes of Zaandam, and this single portrait of the 17-year-old Guurtje van de Stadt.
The Van de Stadt family were involved in the timber trade and were one of the wealthier families in Zaandam. Compared with Monet’s other Zaandam works, this black-grey painting is rather subdued. A possible explanation for this is the fact that Guurtje’s father Jan van de Stadt had died quite recently. The black dress, earrings, and ribbon indicate that the girl is still in mourning.
As you know, Monet is the leading figure of Impressionism. The artists of this movement attempted to capture the fleetingness of the moment in their paintings and were occupied with the effects of light, color, and movement. Another characteristic trait is the way they applied the paint in loose, rapid brushstrokes. That is clearly evident here in the light background and Guurtje’s hair. Her face and dress, on the other hand, are painted very precisely.