Claude Monet, born on November 14, 1840, in Paris, was a trailblazing French painter and a central figure in the Impressionist movement. Growing up in Le Havre, Normandy, he developed a deep appreciation for the sea and the ever-changing light, which profoundly influenced his art.

Despite his father’s wishes for him to pursue a business career, Monet followed his passion for art, encouraged by his mother. He studied at the Académie Suisse in Paris, where he met other future Impressionists like Camille Pissarro. His early work was also shaped by the landscape painter Eugène Boudin, who introduced him to the practice of painting outdoors.

Monet is renowned for his series paintings, where he captured the same scene under varying light and weather conditions. Some of his most famous series include the Haystacks, Rouen Cathedral, and Water Lilies. His painting “Impression, Sunrise” is particularly significant as it gave the Impressionist movement its name.

In his later years, Monet settled in Giverny, where he created a stunning garden that became the subject of many of his paintings. He continued to paint until his death on December 5, 1926.