Under the delicate brushes of Claude Monet, everyday life becomes poetry. With Le Déjeuner, painted three times between 1865 and 1873, the artist offers us much more than a simple mealtime: he reveals the evolution of his sensitivity, the richness of his gaze, and the changing light of an era.
Whether it is a cozy interior scene, a family lunch under the trees, or a large ambitious composition left unfinished, Claude Monet Le Déjeuner illustrates three visions of quiet happiness, suspended in time.
These paintings are open windows onto family tenderness, pictorial exploration, and the emergence of Impressionism — an art of capturing the moment, the light, and the soul of simple things.
🕰️ Historical context: Three works, three eras of Monet
🔹 The Lunch (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 "Lunch" marks Monet's beginnings in group painting and his interest in outdoor scenes, while also reflecting a desire for artistic recognition.
🔹 The Lunch (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.
➤ This "Lunch" offers a glimpse into Monet's private life, and anticipates the luminous mastery that will characterize his entire work.
🔹 The Lunch (1873) – Argenteuil, the awakening of Impressionism
In 1873, settled in Argenteuil, Monet paints an outdoor meal scene in his garden, surrounded by his family. The play of shadow and light through the foliage, the vibrant colors, and the quick brushstrokes testify to full Impressionist maturity.
➤ This last "Lunch" captures the joy of living and the fleeting moment, at the heart of the emerging Impressionist movement.
🎨 Artistic analysis: Three visions, the same sensitive gaze
🔹 The Luncheon on the Grass (1865–1866) – The boldness of a group composition
Even unfinished, this work impresses 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 express a desire for pictorial modernity.
🔹 The Lunch (1868) – Inner balance
Here, the composition is tighter, centered on a set table in a quiet room. The arrangement of objects (bottles, plates, fruits) reveals attention to detail. The light, filtered through the glass roof at the back, gently touches the white tablecloth and the faces of the characters. The subdued tones and measured volumes give the painting a soft, muffled, almost silent atmosphere.
🔹 Luncheon at Argenteuil (1873) – The vibration of the outdoors
In this luminous version, Monet frees himself from the confines of the studio. He paints outdoors, from life, 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. Everyday life becomes a living spectacle of light and shared happiness.
💫 Symbolism and emotions: The art of everyday life sublimated
Throughout his Lunches, Monet does not simply paint meals — he captures moments of intimacy, harmony, contemplation. These paintings are windows into ordinary life elevated to the status of artistic emotion.
🔹 An ode to family and emotional bonds
In the 1868 and 1873 versions, Claude Monet offers us fragments of his personal universe. His wife Camille Doncieux and their son Jean Monet become the silent figures of family tenderness. The way they stand, interact, or immerse themselves in their environment reveals a sincere attachment to the intimacy of the home.
🔹 Light as an inner language
Each painting conveys an emotion through light: dim and soft inside (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 the soul, a way to reveal the feelings hidden behind apparent banality.
By painting what we see, Monet teaches us to feel what is left unsaid.
🔹 The printing of a suspended moment
What these three paintings have in common is this desire to freeze the moment without freezing it. The lunch is only a pretext to explore the passage of time, the subtle play between stillness and movement, silence and presence.
🖼️ Decorative uses & gift ideas: Three artworks, three atmospheres to enhance
🔹 For a cozy and intimate atmosphere: Le Déjeuner (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 private moment in life.
🔹 For a bright and lively decoration: Luncheon at Argenteuil (1873)
This painting overflows with natural light and greenery, making it a perfect choice to brighten a bright living room, an open space to the outside, or even a welcoming entrance. It evokes the joy of living, conviviality, and the charm of a summer garden.
🎁 Gift idea: perfect for a country house, a holiday 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 original and ambitious art lovers. It will find its place in a contemporary interior, an art lounge, a library, or a creative meeting room.
🎁 Gift idea: a prestigious present for a collector, artist, or high-end professional event.
🎨 Handmade reproduction signed Alpha Reproduction
At Alpha Reproduction, each Lunch by Claude Monet is reborn with fidelity and emotion. Our master copyists paint each canvas by hand, in oil on canvas, scrupulously respecting the palettes, textures, and the 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 frame
Each reproduction is a unique work, crafted with patience, expertise, 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 suits both a Haussmannian interior and a minimalist decor, always bringing a touch of humanity and beauty.
❓ FAQ – Claude Monet The Lunch: Frequently Asked Questions
🔹 How many versions of the painting Le Déjeuner did Claude Monet paint?
Claude Monet created three major versions of The Lunch :
-
In 1865–1866, an unfinished version, called Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, influenced by Manet.
-
In 1868, an intimate interior scene with Camille Doncieux and their son Jean.
-
In 1873, an impressionist garden scene painted in Argenteuil.
🔹 Where are the original paintings of Claude Monet Le Déjeuner located?
Fragments of Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1865–66) are kept at the Musée d’Orsay (Paris) and at the Pushkin Museum (Moscow). The 1868 version belongs to a private collection. As for the Déjeuner à Argenteuil (1873), it is on display at the Staatgalerie Stuttgart.
🔹 What is the difference between Monet's three Lunches?
-
The one from 1865–1866 is a large ambitious composition, unfinished.
-
The one from 1868 is an intimate interior painting.
-
The one from 1873 is an Impressionist plein air 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 Breakfasts. All our canvases come with a certificate of authenticity, custom frame, and adjustable size to fit your space.
