June 27, 2019 - A Painter's Residence

Today we toured Claude Monet's residence and gardens in Giverney (pronounced - jeh-ver'-nay), France situated in the region of beautiful Normandy.  Our tour consisted of traveling over an hour outside of Paris in a double-decker AIR CONDITIONED bus! Today is another "corker" as my Dad would say and we were grateful for the repreve from the heat.  Once we arrived, our group walked through the gardens with our tour guide and then we were left to visit the grounds and Monet's home on our own. 

With some bit of background, I'm sure most have heard of Monet at one time or another.  He is one of my favorite artists as I love his beautiful landscapes.  Early on Monet suffered great financial hardship, initially due to his father refusing to help him financially because of the woman Monet chose as his first wife, Camille.  They were eventually married in 1870. 

Monet's first love, Camille.

When war broke out in France, Monet, Camille and their first son fled to London, where he would meet his first art dealer.  They eventually returned to France a couple of years later where his works would become known as Impressionists, serving as a derogatory term meaning the paintings were more sketch-like than art.  Camille became ill while pregnant with their second son, Michel.  Camille never recovered and passed away.  Monet eventually remarried in 1892, and moved his larger family to Giverney, initially renting the farm.  Once his art became known, he was earning plenty to buy the farm and begin the arduous task of designing his gardens. He would eventually hire 7 gardeners to care for them.  It were these beautiful gardens that served as Monet's inspiration for some of his famous works of art that are housed throughout the great museums around the world, many in the Orsay Museum here in Paris. 

When Monet died in 1926 of cancer, his youngest son, Michel, inherited the estate and his father's works of art.  Michel had no heir and in 1966 the entire estate was bequeathed to Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.

The Interior of the House

Original works and some copies displayed in the Drawing Room

The Drawing Room 

This little gem was hiding behind the Drawing Room door.

 Just beyond the kitchen doorway are these roaming freely.  :)

June is considered the month of Roses in Monet's gardens.  Below are many varieties of roses as well as a "few" other beauties.

Cleome or Spider Flower

Roses and Poppies

Hollyhocks

Yellow Spider Mums, Foxglove (Digitalis), Snapdragons and Coreopsis

Arches of Roses leading to the main house

Another favorite of mine - Poppies

Small stream banked with tiger lillies

XXOO

A climbing variety of rose

Another pretty variety of Foxglove

More lovely roses and Cleome

Purple Zinnias

Poppy

Stunning burgundy-colored rose

Possibly a Jacobinia, but I am not certain.

Oh those glorious climbing roses!

Allium (and a bee)

And finally, the scenery of inspiration for the masterpieces of Monet --- the Water Lily Pond (minus the tourists, of course).

Thanks for stopping by!