À propos de l’œuvre
L'inondation, par Claude Monet
Claude Monet · 1896 · National Gallery NG6278 · W1439
The Flood, National Gallery NG6278 W1439hand painted reproduction
In the fall of 1896, the Epte overflowed into the meadow next to Monet's garden. A row of pruned willows rises in the shallow water, then repeats in unstable reflections. The sky, trees and flood share a very small range of grays, greens and mauves. Parts of the canvas remain visible, giving this study an unusual immediacy.
Look at the work
Bare willows divide a landscape almost erased by water, mist and canvas left visible
The trunks form a discontinuous line slightly above the center. Their thin branches are placed in rapid and irregular movements, without detailed drawing. Behind them, the meadow and the sky merge in a cold light.
The reflections descend into the lower half, but the horizontal touches of the water fragment them. The upper and lower edges retain poorly covered or even bare passages. This saving of material reinforces the impression of an observation made quickly in front of the pattern.
The unfinished appearance is not a lack: it shows the speed with which Monet tries to hold back a flood and a light already changing.
Composition, touch and light
What Monet builds behind the impression of snapshot
Three precise elements allow us to understand this composition and the essential difficulties of faithful reproduction.
A specific weather event
The torrential rains of autumn 1896 brought Epte out of its bed. Monet, forced to stay close to home, painted the flooded meadow and the willows which normally mark its limit.
A composition organized by the verticals
The trunks and their reflections cross the horizontal layers of the sky and water. This crossing is enough to structure the landscape, despite the absence of a building, character or clear horizon line.
A canvas partially left bare
The National Gallery highlights uncovered areas at the top and bottom. A faithful reproduction should not fill them artificially: their color and texture belong to the balance of the work.
Reference image
Read this specific version
The only available reference image measures 800 × 635 px. It comes from the National Gallery and has been encoded as a real WebP to its native definition, without artificial enlargement.
A row of willows without symmetry
Trees differ in their height, inclination and density of their branches. Their reflections are not exact copies. These irregularities prevent the scene from becoming a decorative frieze.
Gray green, mauve and cold brown
The palette remains deliberately muted. Brown trunks never turn black, and grays contain green or purple. These close nuances give all its atmosphere to the landscape.
Washes and quick strokes
The large areas are laid in thin layers, while the branches receive more nervous lines. This opposition between transparency and drawn accents must remain perceptible on the reproduced canvas.
Documented benchmarks
Three pieces of information specific to this work
These benchmarks concern precisely The Flood of the National Gallery, inventory NG6278 and Wildenstein 1439.
National Gallery NG6278, W1439
Painted in 1896, this oil on canvas not re-coiled measures 71 × 91.5 cm. It is signed and has belonged to the National Gallery since its acquisition in 1958.
The flood of the Epte in Giverny
The river overflows after heavy rains and transforms the neighboring meadow into a reflective expanse. The pruned willows still make it possible to recognize land whose ordinary boundaries have disappeared.
A study probably painted on the pattern
The visible areas of canvas and the speed of the gestures suggest a study carried out directly in front of the landscape. The museum brings it closer to a more complete composition today in a Swiss private collection.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
Fidelity here depends on precise relationships between light, touch, depth and color temperature.
- The exact version of London, NG6278 and Wildenstein 1439
- The original ratio of 71 × 91.5 cm
- Areas of exposed canvas preserved without filling
- The fragmented reflections and the muted range of grays, greens and mauves
Work sheet
| Title | The Flood, National Gallery NG6278 W1439 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Claude Monet (1840 -1926) |
| Date | 1896 |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 71 × 91.5 cm |
| Orientation | Horizontal |
| Conservation | National Gallery, London, United Kingdom |
| Inventory | NG6278 · Wildenstein 1439 |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
Presentation in your interior
A palette designed with the room
Pearl gray, sage green, mauve, cool brown and pale blue give this reproduction a silent presence. It is suitable for sober interiors, natural materials and rooms where soft light is sought rather than marked contrast.
