Springtime (Le Printemps) by Claude Monet

Claude Monet painted Springtime (Le Printemps) in 1886. When he settled in Giverny, Monet rediscovered the domestic contentment he had so valued during his early years in Argenteuil. Alice Hoschedé was an excellent and patient companion, and their children often joined him when he went out to the fields to paint.

Springtime (Le Printemps) by Claude Monet is an oil on canvas (25-1/2x31-3/4 inches) housed in The Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, England.

Here, his older son, Jean, and Alice's second youngest daughter, Suzanne, sit under the white petals of a fruit tree in full flower. The color sparkles, capturing the refreshing quality of the clear spring air.

Claude Monet loved to paint scenes of trees in bloom. Learn about the flowering poplars of Bend in the Epte River near Giverny in the next section.

For more about art, famous artists, and art history, check out:

• How Art Works
• Impressionism
• Michelangelo
• Vincent van Gogh