Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies

1899

Oil on canvas, 92.7 × 73.7 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The wooden footbridge over Monet's lily pond at Giverny, above floating lilies and reflections. It comes from his first bridge series, painted in 1899.

Monet bought the pond in 1893 and built the bridge to give himself motifs to paint. The Impressionists painted the world around them; here Monet designed his own.
He painted eighteen bridge views in 1899–1900 and showed twelve in 1900.
This is one of only two upright versions, which gives more room to the lilies.
Look for thick dabs for the lily flowers and a dark red curve for the bridge's shadow.
The Havemeyers bought it through Durand-Ruel's New York branch in 1901.

Monet shaped his flower and water gardens at Giverny for decades. In 1901 he enlarged the pond and added a wisteria frame to the bridge.

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 file from The Met's Open Access release) · CC0