Giverny and Monet house and gardens

DAY 3
we are off to Giverny to see Monet house and gardens where he lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. Monet rented this home for his two sons, his mistress and her six children.  He had lost his wife to TB.  Because of his grief, he had tried to commit suicide by swimming but he didn't succeed.

 Street view of the home at end of ivied wall on the right.

He was able to buy this mansion after renting it for seven years in 1890 and adjacent gardens. This is now owned by the Monet foundation and in 1970 the house was fully restored.  His gardens provided many of the subjects of his paintings.  He was able to capture flowers and trees in various light.  The house is fully his work as for the intriguing colors used in both interior and exterior painting.  The green trim on the home and on the iron rails and benches in the garden were a particular hue that he believed was appropriate.  The gardens have been meticulously restored to how they appeared during his lifetime. While he was alive he had 6 gardeners and 2 to help with the children. Of his children, Holly became a painter.

These two pictures are of his studio that is in the house. He has a studio in another building.

 His bedroom with some more paintings.

                                              A beautiful desk in his bedroom.

 The tiled kitchen maintained in its original fashion.

 The pictures will show you how beautiful the house and famous Japanese gardens are.

Above is the Japanese garden.  He had it created on this artificial island so that the bamboo would be contained.  Otherwise the invasive quality of bamboo would infiltrate much of the other gardens.

Water lilies!  Monet could walk to this pond and paint his many water lily pieces at various times of day and weather.

 Monet went to Art school at the age of 15.  He started sketching  and put his work for sale in a local shop.  The concept of displaying art in a shop was not a common practice.  One day the paintings disappeared from the window.  Eugene Boudin had taken them.  Boudin offered Monet to come and paint with him. The result was a further development of his talent. There is much about his life but I am only touching on a few things.

So after we come back from Giverny we have a chance to explore the town of Vernon
See you there.....