When it comes to Claude Monet and many of the other master painters, there tend to be a few dozen wildly popular paintings that dominate our attention. We all know of Claude Monet’s Impression, Sunrise, Woman With a Parasol, and his Water Lilies series. But what about the hundreds or thousands of other paintings that fly under the radar? Surely there are some that warrant a closer look. So, in light of this, I spent the last few days going through Monet’s entire portfolio (over 2,000 artworks) looking for inspirational yet underappreciated paintings. Below are my favorites, along with some brief commentary.
Exterior of Saint-Lazare Station, Sunlight Effect
Monet painted Saint-Lazare Station on several occasions, but this one is new to me. He did a good job capturing city life’s hustle and grit. The smoke helps connect different parts of the painting together. And the bursts of saturated red, yellow, blue, and green add a bit of flare and interest amongst the surrounding grays and weak colors.
Boats on the Seine at Le Petit-Gennevilliers
An unusual and tight composition, with the boats clustered and overlapping and partially cropped out in some cases. The reflections on the water add a softness to the painting. There’s also an interesting play between complementary colors, orange and blue. In the back, a few saturated orange buildings contrast nicely against the pale blues of the sky and water. And around the boats, bursts of saturated orange and blue compete for our attention.
Ladies in Flowers
One of Monet’s darker garden paintings. Everything melts together and comes in and out of focus. In true Monet style, the garden and its colors are the focus, with the two ladies playing more of a background role.
On the Cliff Near Dieppe, Sunset
A quiet painting in a high-key (light colors). It may not command attention in an exhibition room, but there’s a certain pleasantness to it. The subtle shifts in color, the bright yellows against soft pinks, the playful bursts of saturated orange and green in the foreground… beautiful!
The Artist’s House at Argenteuil
A wholesome subject featuring Monet’s home and, I assume, his family. As with Ladies in Flowers, it’s more of a genre painting than a portrait. His wife and daughter are vague and gently melt in with the surroundings. They also take up a small area in the painting, with preference given to the house and landscape. The quiet sky and ground play an important role in giving our eyes a place to rest from all the detail and dancing colors.
The Port at Argenteuil
This one has a cleaner style, with distinct and solid shapes and colors rather than hundreds of tiny strokes woven together.
Customs House at Varengeville
A beautiful high-key painting. The colors shimmer and dance and the water gently melts into the sky. The house and land are also great demonstrations of broken color and pointillism.
Flowers at Vetheuil
One of my favorites from this group of paintings. Look at those reds, greens, and yellows in the foreground! And the subtle yellow glow of the sky, with hints of purple and green (remember, the sky isn’t always blue).
The Bay of Monaco
A beautiful display of light and shadow. There’s an interesting play between the boat and the surrounding blues. They are partially distinct and partially united as one shape. This is also a good reminder that sometimes less is more in painting.
The Valley of the Nervia
A simple subject painted well. Look how Monet used color and visible brushwork to inject life and energy into the painting. And notice how effortless the mountains at the back are. Each stroke has meaning and packs a punch. It reminds me of Sir Arthur Streeton’s landscapes.
The Departure of the Boats, Étretat
This is a good example of how the right colors in the right spots can convey a significant amount of information about the subject, even without the finer details. And that turquoise water is stunning. (Color mixing tip: To mix a good turquoise like this, try viridian green, cobalt blue, and titanium white.)
Honorable Mentions
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Thanks for Reading!
I appreciate you taking the time to read this post and I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with friends.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
so depressing….😂 Thank you for these little gems, (and for all your inspiring helpful posts, by the way) – especially for the two anglers. We can only aspire to the lowest of his heights, alas….
Thank you for those
I don’t recall seeing all of those in all my years at NSCAD and we studied him a lot
Always one of my favourite
Nova Scotia fan of your posts and work
thank you Dan for all the well researched and educative emails you send us.
May I wish you and your family a very fulfillig year ahead: Happy New Year!
Thanks, Dan, these are great to see! The Parc Monceau really leapt out at me from the “also rans”….something about looking from dark into light, and those purples and greens….
Thank you for all your informative posts. I always learn something.
Thank you! You start my day off with wonderful paintings.
Thank you Dan,
You are like an encyclopedia of art as you publish useful and distinctive information. I wish you more progress and Success.
Hi , with your passion and kindness you are bringing back out the best of my emotions . i am a different person when i do read see yours emails .thanks Scot
You always find such a fresh look at these famous painters! So appreciate your insight into good art.
Hi, thanks for a beautiful start to this morning. The Artists House is my favorite this morning. Will view them through several days.
Thank you for these paintings…beautiful and inspiring. Your comments on them are helpful in pointing out some key characteristics as well as some things to look for in the honorable mentions. I did notice something about the painting “The Bay of Monoco.” The date presented is 1840; the year Monet was born so I was wondering if it referred to some other aspect of Monet’s work.
Thank you always for taking your time to share your knowledge of other artists. It broadens my understanding of what it takes to develop a great painting! I love seeing art through your eyes!!!
Appreciate your research and knowledge. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the images of these lesser known Monet paintings.
Like the curate’s egg—some good, some different and some poor!
Beautiful paintings. Thank you so much for sharing such perfect descriptions of each one.
I am a lifetime member of the academy! You are so generous with your time and talents. I have enjoyed so much of your work!
Everyone of all abilities should take advantage of your classes. Thanks
Your discussions of other artists’ work, and the wonderful examples, mean the world to me. You are a gem among artists for sharing your knowledge & your enthusiasm for beauty.
Thanks Dan. I appreciate your research and sharing of these many artists you have featured. Although I paint with watercolor, I learn from these masters of art. May you and your family have a peaceful and healthy New Year!
Fascinating! Thanks so much for your informative comments.
I love that you share lesser known works of famous artists, and these are stunning! Your clear, articulate analysis is educational and appreciated. I see the Monet touch in your own work, especially the paintings with a profusion of flowers and foliage.
Your generous use of knowledge has been a constant inspiration.
It is so appreciatex
I have never seen any of these paintings! They are beautiful! Thank you for taking the time to find them and share with us! What an inspiration you are to us. Have a wonderful new year!!❤️❤️
I haven’t tried oils yet but I always learn from your comments. You are a generous and thoughtful teacher and I appreciate your sharing of knowledge with your subscribers.
Thank you, Dan. Very interesting, indeed. My favourite is the Parc Monceau, 1878. The lighting effect is extraordinary.
What also interests me is the size of paintings. In the future, would it be possible to indicate the dimension of the paintings you post? Few people seem to do this, but I find it useful for understanding the work.
Many thanks and happy new year
Gladys, Mont-Tremblant, Canada.
Happy New Year Dan. Thank you for brightening my day with beauty and education.
I love the light in the trees in Parc Monceau. I could look at that for hours!
Many thanks again for a great selection from a famous master. Yes, Parc Monceau wow. Been always great fan of the Impressionists. You are very generous person. Best for you & your family for 2025.
Port at Argenteul – confused at shadows coming from different directions.
Port at Argenteuil. Confused at shadows coming from different directions.
Thank you Dan.
Your posts are continue to inspire and expand my understanding of the processes in creating paintings that speak to the viewer.
From the brush stroke laying down the paint, to the expression of color on the canvas, appreciating shape and light, I am developing as a passionate artist and have always loved the impressionist art of Claude Monet.
Thank you for sharing! Those are all wonderful!
Thank you for sharing these lesser known Monet’s. I’ve found several to study. It’s interesting to see his style evolve. Wonderful!
Thank you for the “lesser knowns” and for all your other comments. So inspirational!
Gerri
A fascinating variety of styles. Particularly note your comment on Bay of Monaco-less can be more. Really worth remembering- so easy to get carried away with detail!
Thank you!
What I love about The Bay at Monaco is how he has indicated the setting sun out of the frame by the red reflections on the water. The man was a genius.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for share this precious painting, the colors are amazing .
This is a great experience. Have a great New Year for you , your wife and your children’s.
You made my day, Dan – a snow day, actually, in Upstate New York. What beauty and masterful use of color for reflecting the time of the day, sunlight… I did not know any of these Monet’s paintings, but I really enjoyed them, more than his famous ones.
I appreciate all your posts very much even when I don’t paint in oils. Always very inspirational. Thank you.