A Corner of the Apartment

In 1871, Monet returned from England to the commune of Argenteuil, near Paris, where he lived until 1878. During this period, he often featured his wife Camille in his paintings with their eldest son Jean who was born in 1867. Jean is pictured here, inside the second house that Monet lived in in Argenteuil, with a figure, probably Camille, in shadow in the background. The foreground consists of a symmetrical décor: hangings with colored motifs, green plants, and decorative vases, which are also seen in other paintings by Monet. This composition gives the impression of a curtain opening on to a stage. The viewer's eye is drawn towards the back of the room, to the illuminated area near the window. The herringbone pattern of the parquet in the center of the picture reinforces the symmetry of the overall view, whilst emphasizing the perspective. From this focal point, one can make out Jean standing slightly to the right, the lamp and the table in the center, and Camille sitting on the left. The child's silhouette is reflected on the parquet floor, lit by the daylight from the window. This silent, intimate scene, an image of everyday family life in Argenteuil, is recreated in a blue-tinted space. The range of color evokes an atmosphere of tranquility and poetry, reminiscent of the childhood world of author Marcel Proust, as he would later describe it in In Search of Lost Time.