In a tribute marking the centenary of Claude Monet’s death, eight of the French Impressionist master’s paintings will be exhibited at Geelong Gallery, a regional institution on the opposite side of the globe from Monet’s native France. The showcase, titled Discovering the Impressionists, highlights both Monet’s legacy and a broader array of artists connected to the Impressionist movement.

Monet, who left the hectic Parisian art scene in 1883 to settle in the rural town of Giverny, found inspiration in nature that reshaped his artistic vision. It was in this tranquil setting that he developed the style now known as Impressionism, which emphasized light and color over detailed narrative. The exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Monet’s career through works sourced from Australian public collections and private lenders, curated by Monet expert Marianne Mathieu and Claire Durand-Ruel, the great-granddaughter of Paul Durand-Ruel—the pioneering art dealer instrumental in promoting Monet and his contemporaries.

The Monet paintings on display span his early to late periods, including Olive Tree at Bordighera (1884), Nettle Island (1897), Japanese Bridge (1918-1924), Peonies (1887), Rough Weather at Etretat (1883), Fir Trees at Varengeville (1882), and L’Ailly Point, Low Tide (1882). A notable highlight, Haystacks, Midday (1890), is on loan from the National Gallery of Australia as part of its Sharing the National Collection program. These works underscore Monet’s shift from seeking exotic subjects to focusing intensely on the natural world immediately surrounding him, with particular attention to the effects of light throughout the day.

Mathieu explained that Monet’s immersion in nature allowed him to explore light as a subject itself, a radical departure from traditional approaches that recognized only morning and evening light. By the late 1880s, Monet no longer painted with narrative intent; instead, his compositions, such as the Haystacks series, adopted a near-abstract quality where form and color predominate. This shift opened new possibilities for modern art, moving beyond academic realism and foreshadowing abstraction.

The exhibition also features works by other key figures in Impressionism, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Berthe Morisot, alongside lesser-known painters of the early 20th century like Albert Andre, Georges d’Espagnat, and Maxime Maufra. Together, these pieces illustrate the evolution of the movement from its origins to its broader influence in modern art.

Discovering the Impressionists is the result of collaboration between Geelong Gallery, Art Exhibitions Australia, and Mathieu’s advisory firm. Humphrey Clegg, director of Geelong Gallery, emphasized the significance of hosting such a program in a regional setting. “For a regional gallery to participate in an international program of this significance is extraordinary,” Clegg said. He noted that the exhibition offers audiences an opportunity to engage with both celebrated and lesser-known artists, challenging familiar perceptions of Impressionism and fostering new discoveries.