Monet Paints A Day

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Charlesbridge

(pub. 7.1.2012) 48 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Julie Danneberg

     and Illustrator: Caitlin Heimerl

C haracter: Claude Monet

O verview from the jacket flap: 

      "Claude Monet lugs his half-finished painting and supplies to the beach. Massive white cliffs tower over him. Waves gently lap the sand under his feet. And winter sunlight illuminates the giant stone arch - the Manneporte - standing before him. Monet takes it in. Then, armed with canvases, paints, and brushes, he paints a day. Engrossed in his work, he forgets to watch the tide ...

       Based on a true incident, Monet Paints a Day introduces readers to the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. Lush watercolor illustrations in the Impressionist style show the painter both in his element and struggling against it."

        

T antalizing taste: 

"Quickly I ...

ruffle my paintbrush against the canvas as jade waters

ruffle against the shore's edge ...

drag paint across the canvas as retreating waves

drag silver sand into the ocean...

flutter and dab my brush at the canvas as the sea foam

flutters briefly above the surf and disappears."

                       

and something more: In the Author's Note, Julie Danneberg explains the style of writing and focus she chose for Monet Paints A Day: "I intended the story to read in much the same way as one might view Monet's Impressionist paintings. Although you don't see all the details of Monet's life and art in this story, you certainly get a sense of how single-minded and focused Monet was when he worked. He spent a lifetime trying to capture on canvas the beauty of nature, of light, of air, and of water." And I think the lovely watercolor illustrations by RISD grad, Caitlin Heimerl, perfectly reflect Monet's focus on the "beauty of nature, of light, of air, and of water."