Last September I got to visit Giverny, and the home and gardens of Claude Monet. Of course I took photos and when I came across them this week, I thought they would make an interesting post to the blog.
Monet spent a long time choosing the right blue-green paint for the windows and stair rails so they worked well with the pinkish tone of the home's exterior.
"Everywhere in Monet's house you come across the same colors as in his pictures and his garden. In effect, his aesthetic concept embraced the entire world that he lived in."
Living Monet by Doris Kutschbach
The above photos are of Monet's first studio which was the former barn on the western side of the house. This space later became a day room used by the entire family. Monet and his second wife Alice lived here along with eight children, two from Monet's marriage to Camille Monet and six from Alice's first marriage.
The kitchen and dining room were bright and sunny. The Japanese prints on the walls were arranged by Monet himself.
"The everyday life of the painter and his family in Giverny followed a strict pattern. Every morning, Monet got up between four and five, sometimes had a cold bath, and after a substantial breakfast of bacon and eggs, cheese and jam along with baguettes he began painting at six o'clock."
Living Monet by Doris Kutschbach
