This enchanting work by French artist Blanche Hoschedé-Monet captures the lush gardens at Sorel-Moussel, the home of her stepbrother, Michel Monet. The lasting influence of her stepfather, Claude Monet, can be felt in the vibrant blue-green palette that permeates the canvas, where Hoschedé-Monet deftly captures the flush garden foliage. Part of a series of landscapes that include figures of her family, the work is a rarity for the artist who shied away from portraiture, unlike her famed mentor. Serene and engaging, the verdant landscape with its charming figures reveals her mastery of the impressionist technique.
Situated in Eure-et-Loir in the village of Sorel-Moussel, the home of Michel Monet had been captured by Hoschedé-Monet just twice before, and the present example is only of these works in which she paints her family. It is presumed that the figures to the left are those of Michel and Gabrielle Bonaventure, one of Claude's former models who would become Michel's wife. Seated on the bench to the right is a young girl, likely Hoschedé-Monet's niece, and all three present charming highlights of colorful tranquility amidst the greenery. In all, the tableau is masterfully presented both in terms of composition and palette, demonstrating the great artistic skill of this talented painter.
Hoschedé-Monet was born in Paris on November 10, 1865, to Ernest and Alice Hoschedé. Her father was an affluent businessman and art patron who collected Impressionist paintings, including those of Claude Monet. In 1878, however, the family became impoverished and were forced to declare bankruptcy. The family eventually moved to the Parisian suburb of Poissy, where they shared a home with Claude and Camille Monet and their family. After Camille Monet's death in 1879, Alice Hoschedé and Monet began an affair and eventually married in 1892.
Hoschedé-Monet began to paint when she was 11 years old, and she became Monet's instant protegé. He advised the young artist against academic training, and instead, the pair embarked on an artistic journey that encompassed gardening and painting with spontaneity and passion. The young artist also served as a model for many of Monet's paintings, including the famous In the Woods at Giverny (1887), where she is portrayed working at her easel. In 1888, Hoschedé-Monet began submitting works to the Paris Salon; she was not accepted, however, until she showed at the Salon des Independants in 1905, where Durand-Ruel purchased one of her works.
After her mother and husband's death, Hoschedé-Monet returned to Giverny in 1914 to care for her stepfather as his eyesight and health deteriorated. During this time, Monet was working on his mural-sized Nympheas (Water Lilies). The relationship between Monet and his stepdaughter was enhanced by their mutual devotion to the gardens at Giverny. Both were avid gardeners, and nature became the canvas for their artistic ideals. Between the two of them, they created a virtual utopia that they translated onto canvas, sometimes in collaboration.
After Monet's death in 1926, Hoschedé-Monet began to exhibit her works again at the Paris Salon and was quite successful. Today, her works are extremely rare and seldom available for acquisition. Being one of the few successful female impressionist artists, her work is an important addition to any collection of 19th-century art.
This work is pictured on page 70 of Catalogue de l'exposition : Blanche Hoschedé Monet, 1991, Musée A.G. Poulain, Vernon.