Claude Monet is most associated with the Impressionist painting style, of which he was a vanguard. In fact, the name of the artistic movement is derived from his work entitled "Impression: Sunrise" (1874). Landscapes and natural scenery typify Impressionistic work, in which the painter works within the outdoor scene and rapidly attempts to capture it under the available light. Monet would work for short pockets of time, revisiting a scene when the sunlight matched that of the work in progress. He opted for mottled brushstrokes on white or lightly colored backgrounds, dabbing paint onto the canvas to capture a scene's coloration and mood, which de-emphasized drawing's importance to the work.
Those studying Monet find it helpful to organize his oeuvre according to the French locales where he resided. As a student, Monet was prone to capture his instructors and fellow pupils in caricature; he also began creating landscape art during this time, which culminated with "Impression: Sunrise." The Argenteuil period lasted from 1872 to 1875, when he lived with his wife and young son. His time in Vétheuil marked another period, which would continue until 1882. Monet's final works were created at Giverny, from 1883 until his demise in 1926.
Of his early period, "Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe" (1865) stands out as his first masterpiece. "Les coquelicots à Argenteuil" (1873), in which Monet shows his wife, Camille, inundated in poppies, and "Red Boats at Argenteuil" (1875) best encapsulate the Argenteuil period. Arguably, Monet created his most famous and celebrated paintings during his stay at Giverny; it was there that he helmed "Nympheas," a series of water lily portraits that he perfected throughout his life's final three decades.
Monet paintings occupy many of the world's most prestigious houses of art. Paris naturally safeguards an impressive array of his work: L'Orangerie features the "Nympheas" series; the Musée Marmottan holds the largest collection of Monets; and the Musée d'Orsay protects several of his best-known pieces. The National Gallery and Tate Gallery in London carry some of Monet's paintings. In the United States, Monet lovers may enjoy his work at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, as well as at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.