As the years progressed at Giverny and Alice’s role developed into one of a supportive and encouraging figure, the Water Lilies became more complex and visually stimulating, as shown by the increasing appearance of their reflections in the water. Weekes affirms that “Madame Hoschedé…provided a perpetual chorus of admiration for his work� (Weekes 228). This positive reinforcement helped bolster Monet’s determination as the difficulty of capturing the exact moment and lighting at any given time over his water lily pond often discouraged him. Such actions on her part resulted in Monet’s increased interest in their love and the pursuit of depicting its qualities in his paintings of the flowers. Not only did Alice enthusiastically motivate Monet; but, according to Paul Hayes Tucker, author of Monet in the 20th Century, “She had been a lifeline for him, a source of solace and strength…she…made certain that her husband’s needs and demands were always met and that his personal life was as orderly and consistent as possible so that he could concentrate on his work� (Tucker Monet in… 55). Alice took care of the household responsibilities and children in order to allow Monet to focus on his art. Without Alice by his side, Monet would not have been able pursue his Water Lilies as intensely.
Monet, Claude. Water-Lilies. Musee des Beaux-Arts:
Le Havre, France, 1903.
Because of her increasingly pivotal role in his life, Monet began to reflect upon his love of Alice through the reflections of the water lilies in his artwork. This new property can be seen in Water-Lilies (1903). Previously, the paintings had lacked such a reflective quality. This shows that Monet himself was beginning to see more beauty in his relationship with Alice as he considers it more impressive. According to Karen Sagner-Duchting, author of Monet at Giverny, the water lily is a “symbol of feminine fertility;� thus, it is not strange that Monet used this image to convey the beauty of his relationship with his wife (Sagner 80). As with most relationships over time, Monet’s love for Alice grew and developed like his garden and the Water Lilies series became more and more focused on these flowers. Unlike his earlier works, this version expands beyond just a few water lilies symbolizing a growth and flourishing of the relationship, which simultaneously happened in a literal sense within the developing garden.
Monet, Claude. Water Lilies. Museum
of Fine Arts: Boston, MA, 1907.
Contrasting with Water-Lilies (1903), in various paintings starting in 1905, such as Water Lilies (1907), any non-reflected foliage is removed and the water lilies become the sole concentration. Often, in love, people become blind to any other elements besides their partner. It is therefore understandable that with time, as shown here, Monet hones in on the important most beautiful aspect of the garden and symbolically his life by concentrating solely on the flowers. Clearly, this increased focus on the water lily, symbolically Alice’s love, paralleled the flourishing relationship.
Monet, Claude. Water-Lilies. Alphonse-Georges
Poulain. Vernon, FR, 1908.
This focus became more intense when Monet went so far to start using the circle canvas to further emphasize the water lilies. The shape also symbolically represents his feelings of infinite affection towards Alice. Her influence affected an even more graceful depiction on the water lilies in 1908 when Monet adopted the circle for his Water-Lilies (1908). With a never-ending, smooth border, he represented the eternal nature of the love reflected in the water. While Monet expressed the everlasting nature of his love for Alice, this aspect of his life fell under great stress when she was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1910 (Russell 67).