L’Allee du Champ de Foire a Argenteuil Claude Oscar Monet (1840-1926)

Description of Claude Monet’s painting "The Alley"

This artist always produced remarkably beautiful yet luminous paintings. Even if something very gloomy was depicted, it still gave hope for something bright in the future. And so it is here. But here Monet has departed somewhat from his style of work - from Impressionism. There is something symbolic in this painting. The alley is life, a person walking through it, perhaps the artist himself, who is walking through life and already coming to the end of it. But at the same time the alley itself is bright, brightly lit by the sun, the shadows cover it, but not completely.

It is also worth paying attention to the time of year - autumn. This is just the time when life fades. But what is interesting, the crown of trees on the canvas as if illuminated by the sun from within. The feeling that they seem to rise into the sky. There is something metaphysical and extraordinary about this. This is another moment of symbolism on the canvas.

In general, Monet has several canvases depicting different alleys, but this one is symbolic. The rest are simple images of a place for walking, but here the painter really outdid himself. Which once again proves Monet’s genius, his ability to do something different.

Monet was not always so symbolic. Often his portraits or landscapes were simply peculiar proofs of the times. Actually, that’s how impressionism translates - the present tense. The artists of this trend, as a rule, painted what they see here and now. They were good at it, even more than good.

Their shows were always full of visitors, and there were even times when they had to extend their viewing hours. There weren’t many Impressionists, but unfortunately not everyone could remain faithful to this style. Monet was one of those who sometimes departed from his style, but more often returned. That was the case with everyone, but not everyone had the wisdom to go back to the roots.