Why is Monet's simple scene important to modern landscape painting?
Associate Curator Chiara Di Stefano explains why this simple picture of a branch of the River Seine is important
When we hear the name Monet we often think of his home at Giverny in northern France, home to the gardens where he painted his famous waterlilies.
Yet well before Giverny, a place called Argenteuil played an important role not only in Monet’s art, but also in the origins of Impressionism.
What is it about this simple painting of a branch of the River Seine at Argenteuil that is so important for modern landscape painting?
'The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil' is visiting three museums across the country as part of The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour: The Sainsbury Centre, Norwich; South Shields Museum and Art Gallery; Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool and Ferens Art Gallery, Hull.
Our Masterpiece Tour partners will display the painting in exhibitions offering new ways for audiences across the UK to experience the painting.
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