Summer

In April and May of 1874, for the first time, Monet and his artist friends exhibited their own works that had been rejected by the official Salon. The venue was a series of rooms belonging to the photographer Nadar on the Boulevard des Capucines. A newspaper critic, referring to Monet’s 1872 Impression, Sunrise, mockingly coined the term “Impressionists.” Because these artists were above all, concerned with capturing the visual appearance of reality, however, they adopted this name.

Renoir, Manet, and Monet spent their summers together in Argenteuil on the Seine, perfecting their respective artistic styles. Among the works that Monet produced in Argenteuil is this sun-drenched meadow with hazy mountains in the distance, a picture in which his wife Camille and his son Jean have no more visual presence than the wind-blown trees or the colored shadows on the grass. As the critic had correctly realized, Monet’s interest was solely in conveying an impression. Later on, Paul Cézanne was to say to Ambroise Vollard that “Monet is simply an eye, but—by God—what an eye.” The painting Summer was shown at the second exhibition at Nadar’s in 1876. In his review of the exhibition, the writer Émile Zola singled out this work by Monet for particular praise.

We are featuring this masterpiece thanks to the Alte Nationalgalerie, where, until 27 September 2026, you can see it in the Cassirer and the Breakthrough of Impressionism exhibition. Paul Cassirer was one of the most important art dealers of his time. Don't miss it if you are in Berlin!

P.S. Here are 10 paintings from the Cassirer exhibition you definitely need to see!

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