Claude Monet once mused flowers may have been the reason he became a painter. His legendary garden in Giverny, France was well-known to have been a source of inspiration and restoration for the French impressionist, who was himself an avid gardener. From May 19 to October 21, 2012, the New York Botanical Garden presents a seasonal intepretation of the garden that fueled some of the greatest masterworks of the art world.
The Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory has been transformed into a masterpiece of design and flowering bowers. Monet’s most famous subjects, water lilies, will grace the Conservatory Courtyard Pools. Also on display, two paintings–one of which has never been publicly exhibited in the United States–will be on view at the LuEsthe T. Mertz Library’s Rondina Gallery. Other rare Monet artifacts will also be on display.
Furthermore, photographic portraits of Monet’s idyllic garden taken by renowned photographer Elizabeth Murray, Seasons of Giverny, will be on display in the Ross Gallery. There will also be concerts, poetry readings, and hands-on activities for adults and kids centered around Monet’s work. Learn more on the New York Botanical Garden site.
Photo credit: The New York Botanical Garden, 2012