Monet, Claude (1840-1926)
La Japonaise (Camille Monet in Japanese Costume)
1876
Oil on canvas, 231.8 x 142.3 cm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Monet exhibited this work at the second group show of the Impressionist painters in 1876, where it attracted much attention. Large-scale figure paintings had traditionally been considered the most significant challenge for an artist. Using this format, Monet created a virtuoso display of brilliant color that is also a witty comment on the current Paris fad for all things Japanese. The woman shown wrapped in a splendid kimono and surrounded by fans is Monet‘s wife, Camille, wearing a blond wig to emphasize her Western identity. (MFA)
See also:
• Monet, Camille (1847-1879)