Sous les pinceaux délicats de Claude Monet, le quotidien devient poésie. Avec Le Déjeuner, peint à trois reprises entre 1865 et 1873, l’artiste nous offre bien plus qu’un simple moment de repas : il dévoile l’évolution de sa sensibilité, la richesse de son regard, et la lumière changeante d’une époque.
Whether it is a cozy interior scene, a family lunch under the trees, or a grand ambitious composition left unfinished, Claude Monet Le Déjeuner illustrates three visions of tranquil happiness, suspended in time.
These paintings are open windows to family tenderness, pictorial exploration, and the emergence of Impressionism — an art of capturing the moment, light, and the essence of simple things.
🕰️ Historical context: Three works, three periods of Monet
🔹 Le Déjeuner (1865–1866) – An unfinished monumental ambition
Claude Monet, encore jeune et influencé par Édouard Manet, s’attèle à une œuvre de grande ampleur : Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe. Inspiré par le scandaleux tableau de Manet, il y voit l’opportunité de démontrer sa maîtrise et sa modernité. Il entame une toile monumentale représentant un groupe d’amis dans une clairière, en pleine discussion. Malheureusement, des difficultés financières et techniques l’empêchent d’achever ce projet, dont seules quelques parties nous sont parvenues.
➤ This first "Luncheon" marks Monet's beginnings in group painting and his interest in outdoor scenes, while also reflecting a desire for artistic recognition.
🔹 The Luncheon (1868) – Family intimacy indoors
Peint à Paris, ce tableau représente Camille Doncieux, compagne de Monet, et leur jeune fils Jean, dans une salle à manger soigneusement ordonnée. Le décor est bourgeois, baigné de lumière tamisée. L’œuvre révèle une facette plus intime de l’artiste, à une époque de précarité économique mais de grande tendresse familiale.
🔹 The Luncheon (1873) – Argenteuil, the awakening of Impressionism
En 1873, installé à Argenteuil, Monet peint une scène de repas en extérieur dans son jardin, entouré de sa famille. Les jeux d’ombre et de lumière à travers les feuillages, les couleurs vibrantes et la touche rapide témoignent d’une pleine maturité impressionniste.
🎨 Artistic analysis: Three visions, one sensitive gaze
🔹 Luncheon on the Grass (1865–1866) – The audacity of a group composition
Even unfinished, this work strikes with its ambition: a large scene composed of elegantly dressed figures, distributed between shadow and light under a wooded clearing. Monet explores depth, color relationships, and the effects of reflections on fabrics. The bold framing and construction in successive planes already convey a desire for pictorial modernity.
🔹 The Luncheon (1868) – Inner balance
Here, the composition is tighter, centered on a table set in a quiet room. The arrangement of objects (bottles, plates, fruits) reveals attention to detail. The light, filtered through the glass at the back, caresses the white tablecloth and the faces of the characters. The sober tones and measured volumes give the painting a soft, muted, almost silent atmosphere.
🔹 Luncheon at Argenteuil (1873) – The vibrancy of the outdoors
In this luminous version, Monet frees himself from the confines of the studio. He paints outdoors, in the moment, his family gathered under a tree. The cast shadows dance on the tablecloth, the bright colors of the garden blend with the more subtle touches of the faces. The brushwork is quick, energetic, impressionistic. The everyday becomes a living spectacle of light and shared happiness.
💫 Symbolism and emotions: The art of the everyday sublimated
Throughout his Luncheons, Monet does not simply paint meals — he captures moments of intimacy, harmony, contemplation. These paintings are windows into ordinary life elevated to the rank of artistic emotion.
🔹 An ode to family and emotional bonds
In the versions of 1868 and 1873, Claude Monet delivers fragments of his personal universe. His wife Camille Doncieux and their son Jean Monet become the silent figures of familial tenderness. The way they stand, interact, or absorb themselves in their environment reveals a sincere attachment to the intimacy of home.
🔹 Light as an inner language
Each painting translates an emotion through light: soft and gentle indoors (1868), bright and moving in the garden (1873), speckled and vibrant in the version on the grass (1865–1866). Monet uses light as a vector of soul, a way to reveal the hidden feelings behind apparent banality.
By painting what we see, Monet teaches us to feel what is not said.
🔹 The impression of a suspended moment
What these three paintings have in common is this desire to freeze the moment without freezing it. Lunch is merely a pretext to explore the passage of time, the subtle play between stillness and movement, silence and presence.
🖼️ Decorative uses & gift ideas: Three works, three atmospheres to enhance
🔹 For a muted and intimate atmosphere: Lunch (1868)
With its soft tones and indoor ambiance, this painting fits perfectly in an elegant dining room, a reading nook, or a cozy office. It invites calm and serenity while bringing a touch of family history and discreet refinement.
🎁 Gift idea: ideal for a lover of intimate scenes or to celebrate a birth, a birthday, or a moment of intimate life.
🔹 For a bright and lively decoration: Lunch at Argenteuil (1873)
This painting overflows with natural light and greenery, making it a perfect choice to brighten up a bright living room, a room open to the outside, or even a welcoming entrance. It evokes the joy of living, conviviality, and the charm of a garden in summer.
🎁 Gift idea: perfect for a country house, a vacation home, or a wedding celebrated in nature.
🔹 For a bold artistic atmosphere: Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1865–1866)
This work, rarer and monumental in its design, appeals to art lovers original and ambitious. It will find its place in a contemporary interior, an art salon, a library, or a creative meeting room.
🎁 Gift idea: a prestigious present for collectors, artists, or high-end professional events.
🎨 Artisan reproduction signed Alpha Reproduction
At Alpha Reproduction, each Déjeuner by Claude Monet is reborn with fidelity and emotion. Our master copyists paint each canvas by hand, in oil on canvas, meticulously respecting the palettes, textures, and light so dear to Monet.
🔹 An authentic art reproduction
✔️ Hand-painted by an artist trained in the Impressionist technique
✔️ Museum-quality oil on linen canvas
✔️ Certificate of authenticity delivered with each painting
✔️ Custom sizes: adapt the size of your artwork to your interior
✔️ Customizable frames: from classic gilded wood to modern floating frames
Each reproduction is a unique work, designed with patience, know-how, and passion.
🔹 Why choose Le Déjeuner for your interior?
Because it combines light, emotion, and pictorial elegance, Claude Monet Le Déjeuner is an ideal choice for those who wish to surround themselves with inspiring and harmonious art. It fits both a Haussmannian interior and a minimalist decor, always bringing a touch of humanity and beauty.
❓ FAQ – Claude Monet Le Déjeuner: Frequently Asked Questions
🔹 How many versions of the painting Le Déjeuner did Claude Monet paint?
Claude Monet created three major versions of Le Déjeuner:
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In 1865–1866, an unfinished version, called Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, influenced by Manet.
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In 1868, an intimate interior scene with Camille Doncieux and their son Jean.
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In 1873, an impressionist garden scene painted in Argenteuil.
🔹 Where are the original paintings of Claude Monet's Le Déjeuner located?
The fragments of Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1865–66) are preserved at the Orsay Museum (Paris) and at the Pushkin Museum (Moscow). The version from 1868 belongs to a private collection. As for Déjeuner à Argenteuil (1873), it is on display at the Staatgalerie in Stuttgart.
🔹 What is the difference between Monet's three Luncheons?
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The one from 1865–1866 is a large ambitious composition, unfinished.
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The one from 1868 is an intimate indoor painting.
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The one from 1873 is an impressionist outdoor scene, bathed in natural light.
🔹 Can we order a hand-painted reproduction of these paintings?
Yes, at Alpha Reproduction, you can order a hand-painted oil reproduction of one of Claude Monet's three Luncheons. All our canvases come with a certificate of authenticity, custom frame, and adjustable size to fit your space.
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