Monet painted hundreds of local rural scenes in the vicinity: the haystacks, in the viled light of different times of day and seasons; the fields of grain, the landscapes. The artist sought always that subtle synergy of color that resulted in the quiet brilliance that is his mark. He made innumerable sketches of local citizenry as well as the members of his own family. Although he continued to travel widely in France and abroad, Giverny remained his beloved home base. He was 50 years old when he had finally became a property owner. He attached himself to his land with a passion.
That passion is reflected in the garden itself, with its extensive acreage of carefully cultivated beauty. Around the lovely arrangements of flowers, birds sing; butterflies flutter. A cock crowing in French– rooku-ku-char!–provides a quaint interjection.
The abundance of flowers is overwhelming: roses, hollihocks, rhododendron, azalea, larkspur; purple carnations, expaliered apple trees, poppies, coreopsis, lady’s slipper. pansies, sunflowers; bearded irises, cosmos, tulips, lupines, aubrieta, wallflowers and lambs’ ears, delphiniums, Siberian squill, and daisies in all sizes and colors. The assortment is endless. . .and gorgeous.
There is a certain gossamer quality to the garden, substantial and grand as it is. Sitting silently to enjoy the soft yet brilliant light on the landscape, I found myself with a distinct impression that Monet had painted the actual garden! Nature indeed configures herself to serve the artist.
For what was to become a Japanese garden with "tea garden" bridge, and to make a proper environment for his waterlilies(later to become part of the famous "Les Nympheas" series of paintings), Monet created a small passage of water from the Epte River(a branch of the Seine), through his property, "a flow with its light in little points of diamonds." What idyllic scenes are here. In the distance, tall poplars line the Epte’s banks. A visit to Giverny is unforgettable.
Monet remained at Giverny until his death in 1926. The artist is buried in the family plot there. "Il faut cultiver notre jardin," declared Voltaire two centuries earlier. Monet did, in every way.
While in the area, you may want to look in on the nearby Musee d’Art Americain, a center of American Impressionism by artists who came to France to paint, particularly to Giverny in the time of Monet. The town of Vernon, where the train stops for Giverny, has a history dating back to the tenth century. Its Notre Dame cathedral is a notable example of Gothic architecture. Nearby are thatched roof houses and other medieval structures.
Not too far away is Rouen, with its famous Cathedral, painted by Monet 20 times, in variations from a misty dawn in summer to a winter sunset brilliant in color, paintings that demonstrate beautifully how light does change the appearance of objects.
