Claude Monet – Woman with a Parasol

Claude Monet’s Woman with a Parasol was painted in 1875 (estimates range until 1878, though) and is also known by another name – On the Cliff or Madame Monet and her Son Jean. The medium of the painting is oil on canvas. Its dimensions are 47 x 39 1/4 inches. It is part of the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.. The painting is not to be confused with the similar work, “Lady with Parasol” – showing a similar motif, but on a much more cloudy day, without the son and from a different perspective.

In Woman with a Parasol, Monet’s skill at painting figures is quite apparent. Steering away from the classic style of making people sit in a stiff, artificial manner to get their portraits taken, Monet painted his subjects as part of their normal surroundings. As a result his paintings of people were spontaneous and natural.

Woman with a Parasol was most probably painted in a single sitting that lasted a number of hours. As was his style, Monet wanted to convey the impression that Madame Monet and her son were on an informal, family outing instead of trying to create an artificial looking portrait. The transient quality of time is expressed through the use of short, swift strokes in bold colors which were Monet’s signature style. The painting seems to capture a snapshot of Camille, Monet’s wife, as she takes a walk on a summer day. The depiction of wind and light convey a sense of movement. The wind-blown folds of Madame Monet’s dress seem to suggest that there is a breeze blowing. It is hard to make out where the clouds end and the Madame Monet’s scarf begins. The sunlight which is streaming in from the right provides a contrast to the wind blowing in from the left. The wind and the sun seem to converge in a whirl towards the middle of the canvas. A characteristic point of this painting is its perspective. The viewer gets an impression of looking at the figures from below. The figures seem to be silhouetted against the sky which further intensifies the effect of the sun and the light. Monet has added depth to the painting by showing his son only from the waist upwards. The green color of the underside of the parasol reflects the green of the hills. Monet has created a sharp contrast between the swirling light, winds and clouds and the solid character of the hills.

Woman with a Parasol was exhibited for the first time at the second Impressionist exhibition where it received wide acclaim.