Created from high-quality wood, milled with simple clean lines and presented with a satin finish. Includes an off-white mount that will not discolour or fade with age. - Simple, elegant design - Premium, fine art paper with a gently textured surface - Handmade by specialist picture framers - FSC certified off-white mat / window mount - Delivered ready for hanging

"Lady in the Garden," painted by the prolific French artist Claude Monet in 1867, captures a serene and vivid depiction of a woman leisurely strolling in a lush garden setting. This canvas, measuring approximately 98 x 83 cm, is a testament to Monet's burgeoning exploration of light and color, foundational elements that would define his later successes in Impressionism.

- Composition and Subject: The focus of the painting is a single, elegantly dressed lady situated in a lush, blooming garden. She is dressed in a voluminous, cream-colored dress adorned with subtle brushstrokes indicating layers and folds, hinting at the soft textures of her attire. The lady's parasol, partially opened, casts intricate shadows and allows sunlight to filter through, dappled, onto her face and dress. Her pose is relaxed, exuding an air of natural grace as she seemingly immerses herself in the natural beauty surrounding her.

- Color Palette and Lighting: The use of light and shadow is of paramount importance in this painting. Monet's bold, yet delicate brushwork brings the garden to life, using a broad spectrum of greens, punctuated by bursts of reds, yellows, and pinks from the blooming flowers. The interplay between sunlight and shadow creates a dynamic and almost ethereal quality, enhancing the sense of immediacy and fleeting beauty characteristic of the Impressionist ethos.

- Background and Context: The garden envelops the lady with an abundance of foliage, giving a sense of the idyllic and private. The background is rich with detailed flora, yet it maintains a certain softness that draws the viewer's focus back to the central figure. This effect captures the atmosphere of a gentle summer day, emphasizing tranquility and intimacy.

Information about the Original Painting and the Artist:

- Location: "Lady in the Garden" is housed in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia. The museum's collection of Impressionist art provides crucial insight into the development of modern art movements, and this piece by Monet is a valuable component of that narrative.

- Artist's Career and Artistic Movements: Claude Monet is a seminal figure in the Impressionist movement, which broke away from traditional techniques and subjects to explore more contemporary themes and styles. Painted in 1867, “Lady in the Garden” belongs to an early period in Monet’s career, several years before the official birth of Impressionism in the early 1870s. During this period, Monet was already beginning to rebel against the constraints of classical painting, seeking instead to capture the "impression" of a moment, a hallmark of his work. This painting demonstrates his early development towards the techniques that would later characterize his most famous works, such as quick, visible brushstrokes and a keen emphasis on the effects of sunlight.

- Noteworthy Details: This painting is notable for its demonstration of Monet's skill in capturing the nuanced effects of natural light. The detailed yet fluid rendering of the garden and the central figure's integration with her surroundings showcases Monet’s burgeoning skill in portraying scenes en plein air (in the open air), a practice he championed and which became a key trademark of the Impressionist movement. Furthermore, the painting exemplifies Monet’s love for nature and his ability to infuse ordinary moments with a serene and almost poetic quality.

In essence, "Lady in the Garden" is more than a mere depiction of a garden scene; it encapsulates the formative ethos of a movement that sought to embrace modernity and the transient beauty of natural light, a vision that Monet would continue to expand upon throughout his illustrious career.