Giverny, Where It All Begins: In the Footsteps of Claude Monet and the Birth of Nympheus Luminansis
Giverny… a name that evokes vibrant light, reflections dancing on water, and the poetry of a garden turned legend. It is here, in this haven shaped by Claude Monet, that art is rooted in the earth, the water, and the ever-changing light. A living canvas, conceived as a work of art in itself.
When Monet settled in Giverny in 1883, he could not have foreseen that his garden would become one of the most celebrated masterpieces in art history. As a gardener of light, he planted, dug, and shaped — giving birth to his iconic water lily pond, a living mirror of his view of nature. He spent over thirty years painting the shifting light and seasons reflected in its waters.
Many decades later, during my own visit to Giverny, I felt the emotional force of this place. Not only as a painter, but as someone deeply moved by a shared artistic sensitivity. The light, the silence of the water, the natural textures — all of it resonated with me. In that garden, I discovered a timeless dialogue between artist and nature.
From this emotion came the inspiration for my series: Nympheus Luminansis.
I did not seek to imitate Monet, but to capture, through my own eyes and contemporary perspective, the vibrant soul of Giverny. Like Monet, I chose to work in oil — a noble, living medium — and used pigments prepared in the artisan tradition, bound with linseed and walnut oils. These natural materials allow me to explore light, transparency, and depth with great nuance.
Nympheus Luminansis is not a reproduction. It is a response — a resonance. A way to revive the spirit of Giverny through a contemporary lens, full of admiration and radiant stillness.
