Claude Monet is one of the most beloved and celebrated painters of all time. He has influenced generations of painters from the nineteenth century to the present. Monet's letters--to his friends, family, fellow artists, patrons, and gallerists--offer an unmatched glimpse into the artist's life, revealing his passions, anxieties, and candid opinions. Lavishly illustrated and fully annotated, it will appeal to all admirers of the "father of impressionism."

Monet's letters offer extraordinary insight into the artist's creative process, expanding our view of his working life and practice. From his formative years to fame at the end of his life, this selection of letters is accompanied by profiles of his correspondents, expert introductions, and comprehensive annotations. Illustrated with some of Monet's best-known paintings, contemporary photographs, and reproductions of some of the letters themselves, his world is revealed in words and images.

For anyone interested in the life of one of the most important artists of the early modern era, this anthology reveals Monet's intimate personal reflections, his daily routine, his worries, and his feelings about his family, his colleagues, and his work. Published to mark the centenary of the artist's death, this is a fresh opportunity to explore the life of one of modern art's most influential figures in his own words.