Monet's Glasses
Some time ago a Monet exhibit came to Washington. The review captivated me. The paintings in the exhibit, the reviewer explained, came from the final years of the artist’s life. They were muddy. At least as Monets go.
A text panel explained that by that time in his life, Monet had lost much of his sight to cataracts. The paintings from that period reflected his defective vision. (As Monet noted in a letter to a friend, “…my poor eyesight makes me see everything in a complete fog.”)
The paintings by themselves, the reviewer went on to say, left only questions, like, what the heck are these things?
But then came the story.
There, in a glass case, exhibit-center, was a pair of Monet’s specially-tinted spectacles, through which he was able to see at least well enough (with one eye) to paint beyond the time that nature had allotted him.
The inclusion of that one detail, Monet’s glasses, transformed the exhibit from a showing of lesser paintings by a great artist to an affecting story—a whole story-- about vision and the artist’s will to create.
In that one detail, the exhibit creators moved the story from a single-dimension Who-What construct:
Monet in his last years painted a lot of muddy pictures
… to a dynamic three-dimensional Who-What-Why construct:
A nearly-blind Monet in his last years struggled to create, wouldn’t give up, hated the glasses, but needed them to connect the boundless vision of his mind with the limited vision of his eyes.
Sometimes, when it’s clear something is missing from a reporter’s story, the piece that unlocks it all, I mention the exhibit, and ask, “So, where are Monet’s glasses?”
More often than not, there is a slight startle, then a blink of the eyes.
Clear eyes.
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67 Comments
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Tulle | August 14, 2009 | 04:33 PM
Very inspiring… a good example that, hope is there every time you need it Tulle
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JeanMen | September 08, 2009 | 08:19 PM
I never knew this about Monet. Very interesting
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graham | September 09, 2009 | 09:59 AM
Yeah by the way… where’s Monet’s glasses? I believe that cataract has a small chance of cure. Sweaty Palms Review
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Russell | September 21, 2009 | 02:23 PM
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Preston | September 21, 2009 | 04:47 PM
It would really be a great experience to have or hold something that belongs to someone like her.
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Dhamphy | September 22, 2009 | 10:00 AM
also used to wear glasses when I was a kid. But her glasses is different from mine just like she is different from me… whahahaha.. just don’t make sense.
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Keith | September 30, 2009 | 09:38 AM
Thanks for this inspirational article. I also use glasses while cooking Scottish Gourmet, and this story really inspires me.
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Ryan | October 01, 2009 | 01:09 PM
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Judith | October 02, 2009 | 11:23 AM
Hope is and will always be there, as long as you believe..
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Nat | October 05, 2009 | 12:34 AM
Thanks for the review. It was very interesting to read it. I felt as though I was there, too. You know there is a nice film about Monet . If I’m not mistaken I found it at the rapidshare files search engine http://rapid4me.com . And though you see the masterpieces on the screen but you have an opportunity to find out some interesting stories and secrets which were connected with them. I liked the film immensely.
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Great article. There are realy a lot of things that we haven’t known.
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Todd | October 15, 2009 | 09:02 AM
It would have been great if Monet’s glasses is also included in the exhibit. The people would be more fascinated and sympathetic to Monet.
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Legal mp3 Download | October 16, 2009 | 03:05 PM
Very True. In that case, the people might have been inspired through that glasses that they might buy Monet’s painting.
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