Jenny Montigny
Jenny Montigny was one of the most important yet long-overlooked female figures of Belgian Impressionism. Although her name was long overshadowed by that of Emile Claus, her teacher and companion, recent years have brought renewed recognition of her work and her pioneering role as an independent female artist at the beginning of the 20th century.
Born in Ghent into an intellectual family—her father was a law professor at the university—Montigny discovered her passion for art at an early age after encountering Claus’s painting at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent. Determined to become an artist despite her parents’ opposition, she studied privately with Claus and eventually settled independently in Deurle in 1904. At a time when few women artists lived or worked alone, Montigny’s independence was exceptional. She became a founding member of the Vie et Lumière group and regularly exhibited her work, gaining considerable recognition during her lifetime.
The painting we present today is a radiant garden scene on a warm summer day. Montigny creates this shimmering effect through lively, fragmented brushstrokes that dissolve forms into flickering patterns of sunlight and shadow.
P.S. Here are 10 women Impressionists from around the world you must know!
P.P.S. Montigny was one of many pioneering women artists who pursued their careers against the odds. Discover her work and many others in our Women Artists Postcards Sets. Now on -25% sale!