Claude Monet

Claude Monet was the driving force behind Impressionism, a movement that fundamentally changed how we see the world. By painting outdoors (en plein air), Monet captured the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere on landscapes and urban scenes. His series paintings, such as the Water Lilies and Haystacks, demonstrate his obsession with how color and light change over time. Monets work moved painting away from rigid realism toward a more sensory, experiential approach, laying the groundwork for the abstraction that would dominate the 20th century.