Claude Monet Fact File Biography: Lifespan: 1840 – 1926 *** Full Name: Claude Monet was also known as Oscar Claude Monet*** Date of Birth (Birthday): He was born on November 14, 1840 *** Place of Birth: Claude Monet was born in Paris, France *** Family background: His father was Claude Adolphe Monet *** Early life and childhood: Claude Monet grew up and spent the majority of his life in Normandy *** Education: Claude Monet began his artistic education under the instruction of Jacques-François Ochard *** Claude Monet died on December 5, 1926 ***

Claude Monet Fact 1: Oscar Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840 in Paris, France.

Claude Monet Fact 2: He was a French artist who was greatly influenced by the Impressionism art movement; a period which saw Impressionist paintings capturing natural forms and light.

Claude Monet Fact 3: His parents were called Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée Monet. His father was a grocer and his mother was a singer. Oscar Claude was the second child in the family, having an elder brother called Leon Pascal Monet.

Claude Monet Fact 4: His father wanted him to become part of his grocery business, however, Claude Monet's passion for art had become apparent from a young age. He enjoyed drawing people and sketching caricatures. He wanted to become an artist.

Claude Monet Fact 5: He lived in Normandy from 1845. People in the local area bought his charcoal caricatures for 10-20 francs. In 1851, he entered Le Havre secondary school of the arts.

Claude Monet Fact 6: His first drawing lessons were given by a former student of the famous French painter Jacques-Louis David, his name was Jacques-François Ochard. He was later taught how to paint with oils by Eugène Boudin.

Claude Monet Fact 7: He left school at the age of 16 following the death of his mother. He was grief stricken and suffered greatly after her death. He went to live with his aunt, her name was Marie-Jeanne Lecadre.

Claude Monet Fact 8: He was introduced to landscape art by Eugene Boudin. He was influenced greatly by the artist's paintings and felt inspired to portray the natural world through his own outdoor paintings.

Claude Monet Fact 9: He moved to Paris where he spent several years pursuing a career in art. He joined the Academie Suisse and met other young artists who became his friends and were also greatly influenced by the Impressionism art movement.

Claude Monet Fact 10: From June 1861, he served with the First Regiment of African Light Cavalry for two years. He was based in Algeria and he was supposed to serve for seven years, however, a severe case of typhoid fever resulted in him leaving he army early. His aunt was able to get him out of serving anymore time on the condition that he join an art school.

Claude Monet Fact 11: He was taught in Paris by Charles Gleyre from 1862. It was during this time that he met fellow artists, and friends, Frédéric Bazille, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley. They worked on Impressionist paintings together, capturing colour and natural light effects.

Claude Monet Fact 12: He completed a painting known as 'The Woman in the Green Dress' (La femme à la robe verte in French). The painting featured his future wife, Camille Doncieu. He participated in the Salon de Paris and show officials chose the painting of The Woman in the Green Dress. Camille modelled for a number of Claude Monet's paintings including 'Women in the Garden' and 'On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt'.

Claude Monet Fact 13: He married Camille Doncieux on June 28, 1870. During these years, Claude Monet was financially poor. The newly married couple had to live in poverty. Their first child had been born some years earlier, her name was Jean and she was born in 1867. His father refused to help the family financially and out of despair, Claude Monet attempted to take his own when he tried to drown himself in the River Seine.

Claude Monet Fact 14: The Franco-Prussian War broke out in July 1870. Claude Monet and his family were forced to take refuge in England where they remained for less than a year before moving to the Netherlands. During this time, he continued to paint whilst exploring different landscapes which enabled him to capture light and color.

Claude Monet Fact 15: Some of his most famous and best known works were painted on the banks of the River Seine. He lived for a number of years, from 1871 to 1878, in a village on the bank of the river where he would spend a great deal of time painting. He bought a small boat in 1873 which became a floating studio where he could spend time painting the landscape and people.

Claude Monet Fact 16: During his lifetime, he suffered from bouts of depression. He would sometimes become so angry with his work that he would destroy his own paintings. It is thought that Claude Monet may have destroyed up to 500 of his own painting through sheer frustration.

Claude Monet Fact 17: In 1874, the first Impressionist exhibition was held in Paris. The restraints of the Salon de Paris were lifted and participants were able to show off their work without the influence of the jury. Claude Monet displayed a number of paintings including Impression: Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant) which depicts the harbor of his hometown, the port of Le Havre. The famous painting has since become the most famous harbor painting.

Claude Monet Fact 18: The April 1874 exhibition later became recognized as the 'Exhibition of the Impressionists'. Claude Monet showcased a number of paintings which would later become very famous, including The Luncheon, and The Orchard. Some of his paintings sold at the show, some didn't, including the famous Impression: Sunrise painting.

Claude Monet Fact 19: His wife Camille gave birth to their second child on March 17, 1878. His name was Michel. Camille had suffered from tuberculosis since 1876 and the birth of their son weakened her health furthermore. She died on September 5, 1879. Claude Monet later said, 'I one day found myself looking at my beloved wife's dead face and just systematically noting the colours according to an automatic reflex!' He remarried later in life to a lady called Alic

Claude Monet Fact 20: During his later years, he painted a series of 12 large waterlily paintings which were commissioned by a museum in Paris called the Orangerie des Tuileries. A large scale design was planned in order to fill the walls at the museum. He died from lung cancer on December 5, 1926 at his home in Giverny. He was 86 years old when he died. He is buried in the Giverny church cemetery

Influence and Legacy: Claude Monet was a famous French artist who was greatly influenced by the Impressionism art movement. His famous paintings include Impression, Sunrise, Water Lily Pond, Poppies, Le Bassin Aux Nympheas, Beach in Pourville, Camille - The Woman in Green, On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt.