The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet was born in Paris in 1840 and showed great talent as an artist even when a young child. After meeting Eugene Boudin, a local landscape artist, he introduced him to painting outdoors, or plein air painting, which become the cornerstone of Monet’s work. In 1872 he painted a picture of Le Havre harbour using very loose brushstrokes this picture known as ‘Impression, Sunrise’ gave the name to the movement, Impressionism.

Content produced by: Art History School