Sunset in Venice by Claude Monet

Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting.

When painting "Sunset in Venice," Monet turned his palette to waters he had no previously chartered- the Mediterranean. He was a meticulous observer of color and light, Monet lyrically expresses his feelings with unstructured brushwork and a kaleidoscopic array of hues, spontaneously painting complete outdoor scenes.

A strong contrast to his home and gardens in Giverny, Monet's portrayel of Venice's mysterious canals is vibrantly enlivened with masterful suggestions through color.