The Foundation: Early Techniques and Influences

Monet's artistic evolution began with the solid foundation provided by his early training. Despite his rebellious nature, the hours spent in academic drawing classes gave him a thorough understanding of form and structure. His caricatures, created between ages fifteen and eighteen, demonstrate not just precocious talent but disciplined observation. These drawings required him to identify essential features and express them economically—skills that would prove invaluable when he later sought to capture fleeting effects of light.

The influence of Boudin cannot be overstated in Monet's technical development. From Boudin, he learned to work quickly, alla prima, applying paint directly to canvas without extensive preliminary drawing. Boudin taught him to prepare his palette before beginning work, mixing a range of colors that could capture the scene's particular light. Most importantly, Boudin introduced him to the practice of making rapid oil sketches outdoors, pochades that captured the essence of a moment.

The Dutch masters Monet studied during his 1871 stay in Holland added another layer to his technical repertoire. From them, he learned about the organization of tonal values—how to structure a painting through the relationship of lights and darks. This understanding would remain even as his palette brightened and his touch became more fragmented.