This book accompanies a major US touring exhibition of Monet's Giverny paintings. It illuminates an overlooked aspect of Monet's career, yet will have wide-ranging appeal to his many devotees. The in-depth textual analysis adds weight to this comprehensive look at Monet's enduring relationship with Normandy. This book will have general appeal on a level with other hit shows such as the recent Matisse/Picasso and Cezanne. It will include many paintings and drawings rarely seen, perfect for Francophiles, history buffs and art lovers alike, as it guides the reader through this breathtaking region of France. While the image of Normandy has been extensively studied in art and literature it has never before been studied in the context of the work of Monet who lived most of his life, and created the majority of his paintings here. An expert on French painting Brettell demonstrates how the three major series of paintings - the "Grainstacks", the "Poplars", and "Rouen Cathedral" - are just as Norman as his representations of the cliffs at Etretat or the port of Honfleur.

Author Biography

Richard Brettell is among the foremost authorities in the world on Impressionism and French painting of the period 1830 to 1930. Currently professor of aesthetic studies at the University of Texas at Dallas, he has taught at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, Yale University, and Harvard University. Brettell is the author of monographs on Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, and Camille Pissarro