Setting foot into an area of the Metropolitan Museum dedicated to impressionist art was simply breathtaking. I was overwhelmed with happiness as I walked around the gallery, and recognized some of my favourite works of art hanging on the walls, painting after painting.

One of my favourite paintings is The Terrace at Saint-Addresse by Claude Monet. This painting stood out to me, as I had learned about it in my art history class this past year at university. I find the stories behind different paintings so interesting, and the story behind this one goes something like this. Monet was vacationing at his aunt’s home one summer in a town in France called Saint-Addresse. He actually painted this scene from inside the house, and this was the beautiful view that he could see from indoors. Monet’s family and friends are painted here, including his aunt, his father, his cousin, and a family friend. I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw this painting in person, because it was larger than I had anticipated. The scenery, the bright and beautiful colours, the texture in the water, all make for a relaxing picture. Monet tends to use so many of my favourite colours and subject matters (leisurely scenes and nature scenes) in all his paintings, and for this reason, he is one of my favourite artists.

Looking closely at this painting, I could see the tiny dots Monet used for the flowers and leaves in the bushes. One of my favourite things to do is dissect each and every painting that I see, in order to see what technique the artist was using and try to put myself in their shoes. Paying attention to details like that makes me quite content.

Here is another one of my favourite paintings. This is one of the four beautiful waterlily paintings that Monet sold during his lifetime. As you can see from the smile on my face, I was quite happy to see this painting. This is one of the many impressionist paintings that I wish I had on my wall. (See more about my wall of impressionist art here).

The Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies by Monet is one of the paintings that I have framed on my wall at home. It depicts a scene from Monet’s waterlily garden in his home in Giverny. It is a really beautiful and enlivening piece, and for these reasons, is another personal favourite.

This last painting is not a Monet, but it was too beautiful to be left out of this blog post. It is titled Roses by Vincent Van Gogh, and was created in 1890.

This painting was so interesting to look at, because it is one of those paintings where you can really see the facture, even from afar. Facture is the process and technique used by the artist when they make their work. Looking at this painting, I could clearly see how Van Gogh handled his paint, and I could discern the individual brushstrokes and colours that were blended together to create this beautiful piece. It is so interesting to think that over 100 years ago, Van Gogh was standing in front of this very painting. Now, over 100 years later, I am standing in front of it too, observing the intricate details that play an important role in making up such a beautiful painting.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of my favourite impressionist paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am really glad I got to spend time in the presence of such exquisite art. The Met has definitely become one of my favourite museums, and I can’t wait until the next time I can return. Do you have any favourite works of art? If so, please let me know in the comments below.

All the best,

– Ema