Nature/Science Theme

Artist: Claude Monet

Title: The Bridge at Argenteuill

Date: 1874

Medium: oil on canvas painting 

Currently: The National Gallery of Art

Source: http://www.nga.gov/

2. Analyze:

1. Descptption:

3. Interpretation:

4. Judgment:

There are two boats, one with a sail and one without. They are near a bridge, with some building in the background. There is a small raft with a woman rowing in it. There is the use of the colors green, yellow, red, and blue.

Monet's brush stokes were all very distinct, and he had a purpose for each of them. Value is used under the bridge to show that there is little light there. Cool colors of blues and greens and warm color tones of yellow and red are used. In the positive space there are three boats. Denser stokers are used in the negative space of the trees. Balance is used with the three boats forming a triangle.

The use of the boats gave me the impression that they were trying to draw the viewers eye from the first big boat, to the one of the left, to the small one on the right. With the use of the bright blue colors in the water and in the sky, I think that mood is happy and exciting. The use of the organic shape of the bush in the bottom right, give me the impression that the view is from the shore.

I am drawn into the work by the big boat in the front becasue it grabbed my attention. I believe that it is a great piece of art and expresses the intent of the artist with value, colors, and balance. I think that this is a well designed painting.