On the Boat

Monet painted several images of his family boating along the Epte River, just before he finally settled in Giverny. This work is one of the most highly finished of a series of paintings entitled Boating. The blue and rose coloration that suffuses the scene contrasts with the freshness of green and vermilion to create a rich, dreamlike figural image. The figures shown are Suzanne and Blanche, two of Mrs. Hoschedé's children. The composition of boldly slicing the boat in half indicates Monet's study of the art of photography and Japanese ukiyoe prints.