Claude Monet has been the icon for the impressionist movement. Painting vague strokes of color and contrast, water, and flowers were typical. Other aspects of the art weren’t as clear but were just as important, nonetheless.

Claude Monet certainly faced many struggles as he tried to build his passion for painting into a career. His family life wasn’t perfect either, but despite of all these obstacles, the French genius painter has left us a legacy and a new perspective on realism and technique in their purest forms.

In this guide, we’ll go over his youth, his style, his methods, his most famous paintings, and many of the reasons why he made the decisions he made. Embark on a journey by diving into the world of art in the French countryside in the 19th century. Find out what made this painter so unique and beloved by so many.