The Monet room on the fifth floor of MOMA in New York, with its two enormous Water Lilies’ works on opposing walls, is a deeply beautiful space. You should go there.<p>Here’s what’s remarkable about Monet. Zoom in. Look closely. Regardless of how close or how far you gaze, you get a different painting, different scenes and subjects, and possible interpretations. It’s wild.<p>Follow OP’s link here, zoom in, and see for yourself.
As an artist who does digital abstract art, I've always loved Monet's (and Van Gogh's in a different style) ability to create a mood with from close up what appear to be random brush strokes and dabs. It's a magical ability I could never even vaguely approach. The ability to paint outdoors and capture fleeting lighting effects a camera would have trouble with (since a photo is only an instant) is also amazing. If I had $10M to spend and had an option for a Monet or Van Gogh, or a Bored Ape, how is that even a decision? 100 years from now people will still love the former, and the latter will be remembered alongside Pet Rocks if at all.
There are things that are great, but not very popular.<p>Other things are popular, but not all that great.<p>It's so satisfying when something is popular AND great.<p>(I could give examples, but that might just incite a flame war. Obviously I think Monet is in that last category.)
Thanks for posting this link. I'm glad I got to see artsandculture.google.com before Google killed it.<p>There's a lot of really cool stuff:<p><a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/explore" rel="nofollow">https://artsandculture.google.com/explore</a>
I had always thought that the reflections of the willows were little waterfalls - the whole painting takes on a completely different feel now that I know
This is currently(?) on display in the Pola museum of art in Kanagawa. I saw it last month. <a href="https://www.polamuseum.or.jp/en/collection/006-0340/" rel="nofollow">https://www.polamuseum.or.jp/en/collection/006-0340/</a>
If anyone has the chance to go to this museum I'd recommend it for the forest sculpture walk alone.