KOLLER VIEW 4/24

pre view. 02 11 4 4 Monet and the play of light It is no coincidence that Monet, like many other Im- pressionists, was repeatedly drawn to water and the way it interacts with light. The Bassin d’Argenteuil lies northwest of Paris in one of the great meanders that the Seine carves into the flat landscape on its way to Le Havre. In December 1871, Monet and his family moved to Argenteuil. The town had become a popular destina- tion for sailing and rowing enthusiasts, and in 1875, the artist created a series of paintings showing sail- boats moored in the harbour of Argenteuil. Monet took up this subject again in the present picture. Using the spontaneous technique of open-air paint- ing, he captured a colourful and vibrant snapshot of a warm day at the harbour. The bold brushstrokes dispense with the representation of details. Rather, Monet captures the mood that he experiences at the water’s edge. Dark colours on the left and right give the balanced composition stability and form the calm counterpoint to the virtuoso depiction of the sky and the water’s sur- face in the full range of blue tones. The slender masts of the sailing ships seem to move in rhythm with the waves. Claude Monet and his family remained in Argenteuil until 1878, which were also the formative years for the art of Impressionism. Monet often set up his easel in the surrounding landscape or in his garden, but it was the Seine and the incessant movement of the boats that attracted his attention the most. In his paintings from these years, Monet displays a perfect mastery of the fragmented brushstroke, which allows the vi- brations of light to be brought to canvas. Most of the works from this creative phase are now in museums, with only a few remaining in private collections. Claude Monet (1840–1926). Le Bassin d’Argenteuil. 1875. Oil on canvas. 54 × 74 cm. Estimate: CHF 2 000 000/3 000 000