À propos de l’œuvre
Nymphéas, par Claude Monet
Claude Monet · circa 1917 · Fondation Beyeler 03.2 · W1854
Water lilies, Fondation Beyeler W1854hand painted reproduction
A large sheet of lilac pink water occupies the top of the canvas, almost devoid of leaves. Water lilies gather mainly in the lower half, where large olive green, mauve and yellow discs surround a few light flowers. On the right, vertical traces of willow descend on the reflection. The vertical two-meter format transforms the pool into an immersive surface.
Look at the work
A large, clear reflection dominates the leaves gathered at the bottom, while the willow descends along the right edge
The top remains wide open. Very pale roses, bluish gray and lilac mingle with visible friction. A few yellow-green leaves appear near the left edge, but the center retains a large luminous breath. This calm area gives full breadth to the vertical format.
In the lower half, the leaves become more numerous and larger. Olive green, yellow, pink and purple overlap without forming regular circles. Several white and purple flowers illuminate the mass. On the right, long green touches indicate the reflected branches and balance the concentration in the foreground.
The large light area is not empty: it makes the thickness of the reflection felt and gives groups of water lilies their distance.
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 vertical composition of two meters
The gaze descends from the almost free water at the top to the denser leaves at the bottom. This movement must remain progressive to maintain the impression of immersion specific to the canvas.
Leaves grouped by irregular masses
Water lilies are neither isolated nor aligned. They overlap, change scale and leave water passages between them; their organization counts more than a detailed drawing of each sheet.
Pastel light under an altered varnish
The Fondation Beyeler explains that an old varnish made the colors darker and brighter. His conservation project aims to find a more matte surface and a delicate harmony close to Monet's intention.
Reference image
Read this specific version
The work's only documented photograph measures 3,057 × 3,397 px. It has been converted into a real WebP without artificial enlargement and retains the vertical ratio of the painting.
Clear emptiness as active space
Pink, milky blue and purple gray modulate the large upper expanse. Variations should remain visible without creating a uniform white spot.
Olive green, pink and yellow in the leaves
Floating discs are composed of several temperatures. The dark edges and colorful covers give them volume without enclosing them.
A matte surface and localized impasto
The calm passages are thinner, while the flowers and some leaves carry more material. This difference allows the light to change depending on the viewing angle.
Documented benchmarks
Three pieces of information specific to this work
This information concerns the Water Lilies of the Fondation Beyeler, inventory 03.2 and Wildenstein 1854.
Beyeler Foundation 03.2, Wildenstein 1854
This oil on canvas from the period 1915 -1917 measures 200 × 180 cm. It belongs to the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel, and corresponds to number 1854 of the catalog raisonné.
An old varnish has changed the appearance of the paint
The museum documents a layer of acrylic resin applied in an earlier restoration. It increases shine and contrast; its removal should bring the work closer to its matte and pastel appearance.
The pool becomes a laboratory of reflections
In late works, Monet lowers the viewpoint and removes the shore. Leaves, sky, clouds and reflected vegetation mingle on a surface where distance remains deliberately undecided.
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 Fondation Beyeler, inventory 03.2 and W1854
- The original vertical ratio of 200 × 180 cm
- The large clear expanse of the top preserved nuanced and non-uniform
- Olive leaves and willow reflections maintained in their respective densities
Work sheet
| Title | Water lilies, Fondation Beyeler W1854 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Claude Monet (1840 -1926) |
| Date | around 1917 |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 200 × 180 cm |
| Orientation | Vertical |
| Conservation | Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, Switzerland |
| Inventory | 03.2 · Wildenstein 1854 |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
Presentation in your interior
A palette designed with the room
Misty pink, milky blue, olive green, lilac and soft yellow give this vertical reproduction a luminous presence. It is suitable for a high wall in a living room, entrance or bedroom, with light wood and natural textiles.
