Monet's Woman with a Parasol (1886): a guide
Suzanne Hoschedé, the two 1886 versions, their light and their story: a documented guide to understanding Monet's Woman with a Parasol.
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Giverny · 1886 · two figures outdoors
Collections
Sources
FAQBefore reading the painting"Woman with a Parasol" actually refers to three images often confusedThe common titleWoman with a Parasol
may refer to several works by Claude Monet. The most famous isThe Promenade, Woman with a Parasol, painted in 1875 and held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. It depicts Camille Monet with their son Jean. Eleven years later, Monet returns to the idea of a standing figure seen from below, but this time he paints two large companion pieces: one facing right, the other facing left.
Both 1886 paintings bear the institutional title
The simplest benchmark:
1875 = Camille and Jean Monet, a family scene; 1886 = Suzanne Hoschedé, two complementary figures held at the Musée d'Orsay.
An identified model
Suzanne Hoschedé appears in the official indexing of both Musée d'Orsay records.
An Imposing Scale
Nearly 131 cm tall: the figure has a physical presence, despite the effacement of its face.
03
A Study in Pairs
Suzanne Hoschedé, not Camille
A family presence turned into an instrument of painting
In the version turned toward the left, the body's profile and the parasol create a more open diagonal toward the sky.
The portrait fades before the atmosphere
About 18 years
Giverny
plein air figure
| Two companion pieces at the Musée d'Orsay | Right and left: same overall dimensions, two distinct balances | The museum's catalog entries allow the works to be precisely distinguished. Both are oils on canvas dated and signed 1886, which remained in Michel Monet's collection until their donation to the State in 1927. They entered the Musée d'Orsay in 1986 after passing through the Louvre and then the Jeu de Paume. | Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turned to the right | Turned to the left | What this changes | Inventory |
| RF 2620 | RF 2621 | Two autonomous works, not the two sides of the same canvas. | Dimensions |
| 130.5 × 89.3 cm | 131 × 88.7 cm | Almost identical proportions that reinforce the idea of a pair. | Signature |
| Bottom right | Bottom left | The signature follows the orientation of the figure and the visual balance. | Attitude |
| More frontal body, face turned | More lateral silhouette | The right side appears more stable; the left more carried by the movement. | Hanging |
May vary; currently not on display according to the notice
Location indicated by Orsay, subject to change
Always check the official notice before your visit.
The low viewpoint transforms Suzanne into an atmospheric apparition
Monet virtually places the viewer beneath the model. The horizon line descends, the meadow occupies the base and the sky invades the largest part of the format. This low angle enlarges the figure without making it solemn: the wind immediately unbalances whatever monumentality the verticality might have suggested.
The diagonal of the parasol
The handle, the arm, and the edge of the parasol create an oblique axis that responds to the inclination of the body.
The sky as an active background
The clouds do not form a still backdrop. Their rapid strokes extend the movement of the dress and veil.
A figure cropped up close
The silhouette fills the frame; Monet forgoes the vast landscape to study the envelope of air around the body.
04
A secondary faceBacklighting reduces the details. Visual identity comes from posture, clothing, and light, not from facial portraiture.
The figure does not detach itself from the landscape: it becomes the place where the sky, the wind, and the grass change colour.
A formal reading of the two 1886 pendants
From a distance, the dress appears white. Up close, this white is almost never alone. Monet modulates it with cool blues drawn from the sky, lit cream tones, discreet pinks, and green reflections rising from the meadow. Colour does not fill a pre-established drawing: every stroke contributes to building volume and air.
The version facing right combines a large light triangle, the dark parasol, and a sky swept with rapid brushstrokes.In the left panel, the orientation of the body accentuates the sensation of movement and wind.Six details to look at before the subjectThe edge of the parasolalternates sharpness and vibration.The veilmakes the wind visible.The sleevesrepeat the blues of the sky.The hemblends with the grasses.The clouds
set the tempo of the brushwork.
The face
, finally, stays in the shadow to prevent an overly descriptive reading.
Why the version with Camille and Jean is not the same painting
The Promenade
, 1875: Camille Monet and Jean, today at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
A visual memory taken up again eleven years laterThe National Gallery of Art clearly identifies Camille, Monet's wife, and their son Jean. The painting measures 100 × 81 cm, a more compact format than the large figures at the Musée d'Orsay. The museum notes that it was completed in a single outdoor session: the speed is visible in the areas of canvas left open, the broken clouds, and the flashes of white.The similarities are obvious: low angle, green parasol, dominant sky, light dress, and wind. The differences are just as striking. In 1875, Jean introduces a small family narrative and additional depth. In 1886, Monet isolates Suzanne, enlarges the format, and creates two complementary responses. The scene becomes more experimental and less anecdotal.It is therefore better to use the full titles.The Walk, Woman with a Parasol — Madame Monet and Her Sonfor 1875;Study of a Figure Outdoors: Woman with a Parasol Turned to the Right
1875
Washington
an outdoor session
Choose between the two pendants and their close cousins
Each link leads to an active product in the shop. The images let you compare movement, color palette, and human presence before choosing a format.
1886 · RF 2620A more frontal silhouette and a stable balance, ideal for a narrow wall where verticality must remain luminous.
View the artwork →
1886 · RF 2621A more oblique posture and a stronger sense of wind. Its movement can visually open up a wall composition.
See the artwork →
1875 · Camille and Jean
The most narrative and familiar version, with a deeper horizon and the presence of the young Jean Monet.
View the work →
Figure and landscape
Several light dresses distribute the light in a constructed garden, for a less solitary and more decorative presence.
View the artwork →
Full-length portraitCamille in a green dress
A more drawn figure, a dark interior and theatrical elegance: the ideal counterpoint to the open air of 1886.
View the artwork →
Six important collections around Monet and the impressionist portrait
Quantities were verified in the catalog on July 14, 2026.
1,027 artworksClaude Monet
Figures, gardens, cliffs, stations, haystacks and luminous series of the painter.
5,060 worksImpressionist
Compare Monet's research with those of Renoir, Degas, Morisot and Pissarro.
572 artworksMusée d’Orsay
Discover the great masterpieces preserved in the French national collections.
1,679 artworksFamous paintings
Iconic images to compare by format, color, and presence.
72 worksImpressionist portraits
Faces and figures captured by light, gesture, and modern life.
392 works
Paintings for the living room
Compositions able to create a focal point without darkening the main room.
Four entries to verify the identity, formats and chronology
The factual information in this guide relies primarily on the museums that hold the works and on the Fondation Claude Monet.
Musée d'Orsay · RF 2620Version facing right
Date, dimensions, provenance, signature, model and hanging position of the work.
Musée d'Orsay · RF 2621Version facing left
Official record of the pendant, with dimensions, 1927 gift, and identification of Suzanne Hoschedé.
National Gallery of Art · 1875Madame Monet and Her Son
The reference for distinguishing Camille and Jean from the two studies painted eleven years later.
Monet Foundation · Giverny
The 1883 Move
Family and geographical context of Monet's life at Giverny before the 1886 figures.
Ten Precise Answers
Frequently Asked Questions about Monet's Woman with a Parasol
Who is the woman depicted in the 1886 paintings?
The Musée d'Orsay identifies Suzanne Hoschedé, Alice Hoschedé's daughter. She was around eighteen when Monet painted the two figures outdoors.
Why are Suzanne Hoschedé and Camille Monet so often confused?
Because Monet had already painted Camille with a parasol in 1875. The low-angle composition and the light-colored dress look similar, but the model, the date, the format, and the number of versions all differ.
How many Femmes à l'ombrelle by Monet exist?
Several paintings share this motif. The three most famous are the 1875 promenade with Camille and Jean, followed by the two pendants from 1886, one facing right and one facing left.
Where are the two 1886 versions kept?
Both belong to the Musée d'Orsay. Their presence on display may change depending on the hanging or loans; consult the notices before your visit.
What are their dimensions?
The version facing right measures 130.5 × 89.3 cm; the one facing left 131 × 88.7 cm.
Why did Monet paint two orientations?
The two paintings work as pendants. By reversing the pose, he varies the balance between the figure, the parasol, the wind, and the masses of clouds.
What does 'plein-air figure study' mean?
The title underscores a quest: Monet is less concerned with a psychological portrait than with the integration of a human figure into outdoor light and atmosphere.
Was the 1875 version painted quickly?
Yes. The National Gallery of Art notes that it was completed in a single outdoor session, with rapid brushwork and some areas of canvas left visible.
Which version should you choose for a reproduction?
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