The Triumph of Persistence

Monet's ultimate triumph was persistence itself. He outlived most of his Impressionist colleagues, continuing to paint and evolve for over sixty years. When arthritis made it difficult to hold a brush, he had special handles made. When cataracts dimmed his vision, he found new ways of seeing. When age made it impossible to paint outdoors, he brought the outdoors inside through memory and imagination.

This persistence transformed initial failure into ultimate success. The same paintings that were mocked in 1874 were treasured by 1900. The artist who couldn't afford paint became one of the wealthiest in France. The rebel who challenged academic conventions lived to see his innovations become the new orthodoxy.

Yet Monet never rested on his achievements. Even in his eighties, he pushed toward new visions, creating works that anticipated Abstract Expressionism by decades. He remained as demanding of himself at the height of fame as he had been in obscurity. Success didn't soften his standards or dim his vision.