Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant)
Claude Monet
Description
This painting shows a misty morning in the port of Le Havre, Monet's hometown in northern France. The sun is rising just above the horizon, glowing orange in the hazy blue sky. You can barely make out boats, chimneys, and a few figures on the water, everything is blurred and soft, as if seen through fog. Monet wanted to capture the feeling of the moment, not the exact look of it. It's quiet, calm, and atmospheric, like the world is just waking up.
Analysis
Monet uses loose brushstrokes, minimal detail, and soft, layered color to show how light, mist, and water blend together at sunrise. He's not trying to paint the harbor “perfectly”, he's showing how it feels to see it at that exact moment. This focus on light, mood, and movement over accuracy is what defines Impressionism.
Details
- Date:1872
- Medium:Oil on canvas
- Dimensions:48 cm x 63 cm
- Location:Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France