Exploring the charm of Monet, the Maestro who loved Japan
Claude Monet, the great master of Impressionism, was also an avid collector of Japanese art, owning nearly 300 ukiyo-e prints. This article celebrates the beauty of both Monet’s work and the world of ukiyo—e two rich artistic traditions, side by side.
Monet vs. Ukiyo-e — Comparison No.1: Water Lilies — Was his most iconic motif inspired by Japan?
In his later years, Monet frequently used water lilies as a central motif for his grand decorative panels and series paintings. Many museums in Japan own works from this series, and exhibitions such as ‘Monet: The Time of Water Lilies’ at the National Museum of Western Art have drawn large crowds and enthusiastic praise.
The water lilies adorned the pond in what Monet called his ‘water garden’ in Giverny, where he settled in the late 19th century. The motif is now considered one of Monet’s signature subjects.
However, take a look at Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川広重) ’s print Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Shinobazu Pond (不忍蓮池) at Ueno (上野). It too shows a pond covered in blooming lotus flowers. Hiroshige, notably, was one of the artists Monet collected extensively. The visual parallels are striking—and rather endearing, suggesting a sense of shared aesthetic between the two.
Utagawa Hiroshige – Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Shinobazu Pond at Ueno
●Utagawa Hiroshige, Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Shinobazu Pond at Ueno, Large Format Colour Woodblock Print, c.1844–45 Umi no Mieru Mori Museum (海の見える杜美術館)
Claude Monet – Water Lilies
● Oil on canvas, 1906, 89.9 × 94.1 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago
Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection, 1933.1157
Utagawa Hiroshige – One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Precincts of Kameido Tenjin Shrine
● Utagawa Hiroshige, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Precincts of Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Large Format Colour Woodblock Print, 1856, Tokyo National Museum
Source: ColBase (https://colbase.nich.go.jp)
Claude Monet – The Water Lily Pond
● Oil on canvas, 1899, 88.6 × 91.9 cm, Pola Museum of Art
Monet and Ukiyo-e — Comparison No.2: Landscapes — The way he paints foreground trees is exuding with ukiyo-e influence!
Western painting followed the rules established during the Renaissance in the 15th century, handed down unbroken over centuries.
The Impressionists, led by Monet, made their mark on art history by breaking away from these conventions—most notably in landscape painting.
Rather than using strict perspective to create depth and depicting scenes exactly as they appeared to the eye, Monet chose to capture the impression of light-filled nature as he experienced it.
There’s good reason to believe that ukiyo-e landscapes inspired Monet’s groundbreaking approach. His own collection of Japanese prints supports this.
In particular, Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎) ’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji includes many striking compositions where elements like trees are boldly placed in the foreground—images that bear a clear resemblance to Monet’s work. This wasn’t imitation, but rather a shift in artistic consciousness brought about by ukiyo-e.
Katsushika Hokusai – Lake Suwa in Shinano province, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
● Katsushika Hokusai, Lake Suwa in Shinano Province, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, Large horizontal colour woodblock print, Edo Period, 19th century, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Henry L. Phillips Collection, Bequest of Henry L. Phillips, 1939, JP2965
Claude Monet – Bordighera
● Oil on canvas, 1884, 65.0 × 80.8 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago
Potter Palmer Collection, 1922.426
This article is partly translated from https://intojapanwaraku.com/art/265663/
