On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt

We hope you are enjoying the last days of Spring.  :)

In this intimate riverside scene, Claude Monet portrays his future wife, Camille Doncieux, seated on a small island in the Seine. She gazes across the water toward the hamlet of Gloton near Bennecourt, a place the couple likely reached by boat.

The painting is the only known work from the short period Monet and Camille spent in Gloton, a quiet and inexpensive rural retreat recommended to the artist by the novelist Émile Zola. Careful examination of the canvas has revealed pentimenti (traces of earlier paint layers), suggesting that Camille originally held a small child, most likely the couple’s infant son, Jean.

P.S. This intimate exploration of light and nature is beautifully captured in Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge by Claude Monet, bringing the calm atmosphere of Monet’s garden into focus. You can order it now in our DailyArt Shop!  :) 

P.P.S. Here are 10 impressionist paintings of summer to get you in the summer mood!