À propos de l’œuvre
Meule, effet de neige, soleil, par Claude Monet
Claude Monet · 1891 · Barberini MB-Mon-27 · W1287
Grinding wheel, snow effect, sun W1287hand painted reproduction
A dark and massive millstone stands out against a snow-covered field, crossed by yellow, pink and blue. The winter sun catches its summit and colors the shadows rather than whitens the scene. This painting from the Museum Barberini is the MB-Mon-27 inventory, Wildenstein 1287.
Look at the work
A dark millstone heated by the sun in the middle of the snow
The millstone occupies the center and almost the entire useful height of the canvas. Its wide base rests on the field, while the irregular top stands out against a pale sky. Distant buildings remain secondary and maintain the scale of the landscape.
Snow is never uniform white: yellow, orange, pink, blue and purple run through it. The millstone concentrates red browns and deep blues; a thin warm glow on its upper edge indicates the direction of the sun.
In W1287, snow acts as a colorful screen that reveals the temperature of every light and shadow.
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.
The MB-Mon-27 version of the Barberini
The museum documents an oil on canvas measuring 65 × 100 cm, signed and dated "Claude Monet 91" at the bottom right. It corresponds to Wildenstein number 1287.
The first major methodical series
Les Meules marked a turning point: Monet observed the same motif for several seasons and hours of the day, then exhibited fifteen paintings together at Durand-Ruel in May 1891.
The pattern as a light screen
The simple mass of the grinding wheel allows you to compare changes in the atmosphere. Here, the contrast between dark straw, luminous snow and cold sun organizes the entire composition.
Reference image
Read this specific version
Only one image is used: the exact view of W1287 from the Museum Barberini, preserved as a real WebP of 1,242 × 802 px without artificial enlargement.
A slightly asymmetrical central mass
The millstone is neither a perfect cone nor a decorative shape. Its top leans, its edges vibrate and its base blends in places into the snowy field.
Purple brown, blue and solar yellow
The shadows of the millstone retain reds and purples. In the snow, warm yellows contrast with blues, producing the glow of the winter sun.
A dense dough on the straw
Short, thick touches give weight to the central pattern. The sky remains more melted and the field more fragmented, creating three distinct materials.
Documented benchmarks
Three pieces of information specific to this work
The Museum Barberini preserves this work under the inventory MB-Mon-27; it measures 65 × 100 cm and corresponds to Wildenstein 1287.
Grinding wheel, snow effect, sun, W1287
The signature and date "Claude Monet 91" are at the bottom right. The title specifies the two phenomena studied: snow on the ground and solar light.
Museum Barberini, MB-Mon-27
The work belongs to the Hasso Plattner Collection and is exhibited in Potsdam. The institutional inventory accompanies its detailed documentation.
Durand-Ruel, May 1891
W1287 was among the fifteen millstones gathered in Paris. Their side-by-side presentation allowed the public to directly compare seasons and times.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
Fidelity here depends on precise relationships between light, touch, depth and color temperature.
- The exact version of the Barberini, MB-Mon-27 and W1287
- The original horizontal format of 65 × 100 cm
- The purple-brown mass of the millstone bordered by light
- Snow built by yellows, pinks, blues and purples
Work sheet
| Title | Grinding wheel, snow effect, sun W1287 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Claude Monet (1840 -1926) |
| Date | 1891 |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 65 × 100 cm |
| Orientation | Horizontal |
| Conservation | Museum Barberini, Hasso Plattner Collection, Potsdam, Germany |
| Inventory | MB-Mon-27 · Wildenstein 1287 |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
Presentation in your interior
A palette designed with the room
This winter scene combines earthy warmth and clear light. It finds its place in a living room, dining room or office with oak, natural linen, gray blue and some terracotta accents.
