Visit to the Monet Art Exhibition in Melbourne

We have been wanting to visit the Monet Art Exhibition in Melbourne since May! As I was pregnant then, I felt so tired after a day's work and just want to go home. We finally made it to the exhibition in September, on its last third day.

Background: Monet (1840-1926) was a French impressionist artist in the 1800s.

It was indeed a rare opportunity and unique experience. As Monet's art were spread throughout the whole wide world, the Australian curators had to contact the owners and convince them to allow the curators to bring their Monet paintings to Melbourne for the exhibition. It was a major project and took them years to organise it. Of course, it was not the entire collection, it would not be possible. The theme of the exhibition was Monet's Garden. He was drawing his garden, his flowers, his Japanese bridge.

What I admire about this artist and what made him so successful is this: His passion for painting was so strong that he would start painting all day. It didn't matter where he was, he would continue with his art. Even when he became partially blind with cataracts in his eyes, he kept on painting. Hence, his art became dark and reddish as a result. I didn't like the paintings done in his late years and found them quite disturbing.

His art was also unique in that we could see the reflection of the sky in the waters, be it blue, yellow or grey. Most artists would simply draw the waters at the bottom and sky at the top of the paintings. Monet drew the sky in the waters! There were four major halls in the exhibition and we only realised that in the third hall. Hence we went back to look at the paintings in the previous two halls again. We spent more than two hours in the exhibition area and my legs were so tired when we left. I wouldn't have be able to enjoy the art exhibition if we went there when I was pregnant.

My most favourite piece would be: Springtime through the branches (1878). The delicate branches in the painting intrigued me. And he even managed to draw the houses' reflections in the waters. It took my breath away and had to keep on going back to look at it during the exhibition.

If there was another Monet art exhibition, we would definitely be keen to go as we totally enjoyed the Monet's Garden exhibition.