Quotes from Claude Monet

What could be said about me...a man to whom only his painting matters? And of course his garden and his flowers as well.

It is better to have done something than to have been someone.

The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration.

Nature won't be summoned to order and won't be kept waiting. It must be caught, well caught.

The only merit I have is to have painted directly from nature with the aim of conveying my impressions in front of the most fugitive effects.

My eyes were finally opened and I understood nature. I learned at the same time to love it.

When I look at nature I feel as if I'll be able to paint it all, note it all down, and then you might as well forget it once you're working.

It seems to me that when I see nature I see it ready-made, completely written - but then, try to do it!

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers

I'm enjoying the most perfect tranquillity, free from all worries, and in consequence would like to stay this way forever, in a peaceful corner of the countryside like this.

The Thames was all gold. God it was beautiful, so fine that I began working a frenzy, following the sun and its reflections on the water.

I let a good many mistakes show through when fixing my sensations. It will always be the same and this is what makes me despair.

Now I really feel the landscape, I can be bold and include every tone of pink and blue: it's enchanting, it's delicious, and I hope it will please you.

If only the weather would improve, there'd be hope of some work, but every day brings rain.

One day I am satisfied, the next day I find it all bad; still I hope that some day I will find some of them good.

Now, more than ever, I realize just how illusory my undeserved success has been. I still hold out some hope of doing better, but age and unhappiness have sapped my strength.

By the single example of this painter devoted to his art with such independence, my destiny as a painter opened out to me.

I will do water - beautiful, blue water.

I pass my time in the open air on the beach when it is really heavy weather or when the boats go out fishing.

Light is the most important person in the picture.

My life has been nothing but a failure.

For a long time, I have hoped for better days, but alas, today it is necessary for me to lose all hope. My poor wife suffers more and more. I do not think it is possible to be any weaker.

It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.

I've said it before and can only repeat that I owe everything to Boudin and I attribute my success to him. I came to be fascinated by his studies, the products of what I call instantaneity.