Monet Drawings and Caricatures

Although throughout his life Monet tries to create and spread the myth that he did not draw preliminary sketches for his paintings, nearly 500 of more than 2,500 his works are sketchbooks, drawings and pastels. This book is focused on Monet's drawings, and sketchbooks, offering a new aspect of the artist's work. Now we know that Monet relied extensively upon drafting in the development of his paintings in addition to painting his subjects directly. Monet has long been seen as an mediocre draftsman, having denied the role of drawing in his working technique in an effort to advance his public image as an Impressionist. He is among the world's most celebrated painters, yet he is almost unknown as a draftsman. This book explores Monet's works on paper, from caricatures he made as a boy to sketchbook studies for his late water-lily canvases. Monet also produced highly finished black-chalk drawings.