On Tuesday, March 12th I began a new copy, Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son by Claude Monet 1875.  Landscape painting was a subject that Monet favored.  His skill as a figure painter is equally evident.  Monet delieneated the features of his sitters as freely as their surroundings.  He painted in a very spontaneous manner, outdoors, and probably in a single session with the intention to convey the feeling of a casual family outing rather than a formal portrait.  It is believed that he painted this masterpiece in about four hours.  The brevity of the moment portrayed is conveyed by a repertory of animated brushstrokes of vibrant color with the clouds being the most difficult to replicate because of the freedom and spontaneity of the brushstrokes and his style. I often wonder what Monet was thinking as he painted Woman with a Parasol.  In this case I think that Madame Monet is saying, “Claude, hurry it up, its windy up here.”

Woman with a Parasol is one of Monet’s most popular works and attracts a great deal of visitors to the National Gallery of Art.  I enjoy the opportunity to be able to speak and discuss this masterpiece with the public.