Monet at the Salon

 

 

Impressionism, a historical reconstruction:

Claude Monet

(1840-1926)

at the Salon 1865-1880

an impression of his paintings

Which paintings did Monet submit to the Salon?
On this page you will find the pictures that were submitted by Claude Monet to the Paris Salon.
Some were accepted, some were rejected. Monet made his debut at the Salon in 1865 with two works. In 1866 he also was accepted with two works. In 1867 his two works were refused. In 1868 one work was accepted, the other rejected. In 1869 and in 1870 his two works were rejected. In 1871 there was no Salon. Monet did not submit in 1872 and 1873, I wonder why? Maybe because the art-dealer Durand-Ruel started to buy his paintings and some were exhibited in London.
Claude Monet had the intention to submit his Le déjeuner sur l’herbe↑ to the Salon of 1866 (R22I,p58-61;R1,p131-134;R5,p35). He had started this painting early May 1865 in Chailly, also making some studies (R22,CR61). Around september 1865 Monet painted a large (130×181) study in his studio, which is now in the Pushkin museum (R22,CR62;M96). Since October he worked on the original painting in his studios. It was intended to be his masterpiece measuring 460x600cm, hoping it would be a great success at the Salon*. But, mid-March 1866 Monet left it unfinished and didn’t submit it to the Salon. In 1878 Monet left the painting as security with his former landlord, who kept it rolled up in his damp cellar. Monet bought it back in 1884 and cut off the damaged right section and part of the middle section. The left section (418x150cm) and the middle section (248x217cm) are now in Musée d’Orsay (R22,CR63;M1).
In 1874, 76, 77 + 79 he exhibited at the ‘impressionist’ expositions. In 1880** he submitted again two works to the Salon (de la Société des Artistes Français). One was accepted, the other rejected. The work that was excepted was hung high in a corner. Still one critic wrote: ‘The bright, light filled atmosphere of the painting let all the close by hung landscapes seem like black (R22I,p159+160). After 1880 Monet did not submit again.
Claude Monet joined the ‘impressionist’ exposition again in 1882. He had found other possibilities of showing his works (see also): at La Vie Moderne (1880), with Durand-Ruel (1883+1886+1891+1892+1893+1899), with Georges Petit (1885+1887+1889+1898+1899), with Les XX in Brussels (1886+1889), with Boussod, Valadon and Co. (1888+1889) and smaller exhibitions in France and abroad. In 1900 he received recognition by exhibiting at the ‘Exposition universelle‘. Many smaller and bigger exhibitions would follow (R22IV,p1016-18). Monet didn’t need the Salon any more, nor the ‘impressionist’ expositions.
Note*: maybe Zola’s novel L’oeuvre (R292) is partly based on this striving of Monet to make a masterpiece.
Note**: Some sources indicate that Monet also submitted to the Salon of 1879 and 1882 and was accepted. Wildenstein (R22) doesn’t confirm this, nor the Salon database of Musee Orsay (iR1).
Note: If you double click on the first picture of a group of pictures and then click on full screen, you can create a slideshow. Enjoy!

 

 

Clarification:
Sometimes the indentification of a painting is ‘uncertain’, see more. Sometimes to ‘compare’ another picture is given that is (probably) similar to the painting that was exhibited. For explanation of the subscriptions, see here. For an account (references, info, discussion, locations on Google-Maps), see here.). For info on the sources see at the bottom of the main page about Claude Monet. I render the pictures by form and than in a chronological order.

 

Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Claude Monet, an impression of his paintings at the Salon. Last modified 2024/01/20.  https://www.impressionism.nl/monet-salon/.”