Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son

If Impression, Sunrise has become the emblematic artwork of Impressionism, Woman with a Parasol, initially titled La Femme à L’Ombrelle, is undoubtedly its most accomplished representation. At once a genre scene, a landscape and a portrait, this artwork confirms Claude Monet’s ability to capture the present moment. The perspective of the hill, the effect of the summer heat accentuated by the parasol, the subtle rendered shadows, and the movement of the breeze in the veil and dress, touch us instantly. Even the reactions of surprise and complicity between Camille, Monet’s wife, and their son Jean are masterfully conveyed.