Chrysanths

Chrysanths (1878) is one of Monet's celebrated chrysanthemum paintings, a genre that connected his growing passion for gardening with his commercial practice. Chrysanthemums—imported from Japan and associated with Japonisme—were among the most fashionable flowers in late nineteenth-century France and carried Eastern aesthetic associations that resonated with Monet's own deep interest in Japanese art. These floral canvases were regularly exhibited and sold at Durand-Ruel, providing income that allowed Monet to pursue more personal work. The Musée d'Orsay chrysanthemum canvases are among the most admired of his floral works.

Monet renders the massed chrysanthemum blooms in a shower of short, animated strokes of white, gold, and pale yellow against darker foliage. The effect is of immediate visual sensation—light caught in petals—rather than botanical description. The handling anticipates the freedom of his late water lily panels.