The Bridge at the Argenteuil

The Bridge at the Argenteuil
Claude Monet, 1874
Medium Stained Frame (17" x 25")
Paper + Acrylic
1" Border

From a distance of ten feet or so, Monet's brushstrokes blend to yield a convincing view of the Seine and the pleasure boats that drew tourists to Argenteuil. Up close, however, each dab of paint is distinct, and the scene dissolves into a mosaic of paint—brilliant, unblended tones of blue, red, green, and yellow. In the water, quick, fluid skips of the brush mimic the lapping surface. In the trees, thicker paint is applied with denser, stubbier strokes. The figure in the sailboat is only a ghostly wash of dusty blue, and the women rowing nearby are indicated by mere shorthand.