Grainstacks, White Frost Effect (1889) by Claude MonetHill-Stead Museum
Grainstacks, White Frost Effect
One of 30 canvases Monet painted of the same subject at different times of day and year. This iteration of grainstacks in a field in Giverny was likely painted by Monet in late autumn, given the refraction of early morning sunlight on the frost.
From a distance, Grainstacks, White Frost Effect looks blended and soft.
But upon closer inspection, Monet’s hallmark techniques are evident.
Monet painted en plein air, or outside, to capture the effect light has on the objects we see.
This desire to preserve the appearance of his subject in certain conditions necessitated a rapid manner of depicting the major aspects of the chosen scene.
Large brushstrokes with a high volume of paint enabled Monet to record his impression of a scene on canvas.
The use of so much paint that brush strokes are visible and pigment mounds on the surface of the canvas is called impasto. Monet employed this technique to create highlights and lowlights in his work.
Another trademark of Monet’s style is the precise application of colors next to, or on top of, one another without blending. It can be seen here to create dimensionality in the grainstack
The decision to paint on site was a major departure from prior artistic schools. Rather than sketch the scene, then return to a studio to create an ideal version of what he saw, Monet sought to immortalize in paint the reality of what he saw.
Monet would add details and make adjustments either on site or in his studio once he had captured the overarching scene en plein air. Frequently these adjustments were made to the background, not the grainstacks themselves.
A palette of cool greens, purples, soft oranges, and pinks, conveys the early morning scene while ample use of white dabbling the canvas creates the frosty effect.
At Hill-Stead, Grainstacks, White Frost Effect can be viewed in conjunction with Grainstacks, in Bright Sunlight allowing visitors to consider the impact of a different season or time of day on how we perceive the things around us.
