pam on Nostr: TIL Monet painted The Water Lilies, 12 gigantic canvases at a time, based on the ...

TIL Monet painted The Water Lilies, 12 gigantic canvases at a time, based on the movement of the sun and its ray of lights, all while suffering from blurred vision, color blindness, and cataracts that began at the age of 73. There are a total of 250 canvases in the series. He began painting this vision in his sixties based on what he saw in his garden in Giverny, and continued working on it for several decades until his death at the age of 86. Now that’s a whole different level of multitasking under extreme challenges and patience. The Musée de l'Orangerie was designed to showcase the Water Lilies series in an oval-shaped room with natural light (sunrise to sunset), to immerse viewers in his artistic vision. Some consider it the first art installation ever. But while he was alive, Monet was reluctant to part with his art, and even after the museum was completed, he felt he wasn't finished with it. In fact, there remains a small unfinished patch in the series. After his death in 1926, his paintings were initially displayed but didn’t receive the attention hoped for and were largely forgotten. However, they were rediscovered in the 1950s and gained popularity for the emotional and artistic impact they left on viewers. I’ve never been to the Orangerie, but maybe someday.