Claude Monet : Inspired by Inspiration

            Clause Monet, a founder of French impressionist painting, practiced the philosophy of expressing one’s perceptions before nature.  Born in Paris, Monet and his family moved to Normandy, where he attended Le Havre secondary school of the arts.  When Monet traveled to Paris to visit the Louvre, he noticed several painters copying the works of previous grand artists.  He decided that instead of conforming to such unoriginal artwork, he would instead sit somewhere and paint what he saw.  The image shown above, On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt, exemplifies this work of impressionist art that Monet practiced.  He literally sat at a window, observed what he saw, and painted just that.  His inspiration came from traveling to the Louvre in Paris, and his desire to be unique and original.  Inspiration can transpire from anything.  Traveling and viewing the world will open up an artist’s eyes and expand his imagination.  However, Monet wasn’t inspired by the physical view of the Louvre; he was inspired by what occurred there, the actions of those artists surrounding him.  It was after this inspiration to be original that Monet became inspired by the physical view of the world and those living in it.  I suppose we could say his inspiration transpired from his inspiration.