Garden of the Princess (Louvre) by Claude Oscar Monet is one of his earlier works from 1867—before the term “impressionism” came into being. It can be considered “pre-impressionism”, incorporating hints of the impressionist style that would follow. The sky, in particular, has the distinctively visible brush strokes, and the sense of movement that are crucial elements of impressionism. The people and horse-drawn carriages in the street also share the same technique of dabs and blobs of paint. However, the foreground—the Garden of the Princess—is painted in a more realistic style. In this painting, we see the beginnings of a transition for Monet—from the realism of painting details and well-defined outlines, to the impressionism of painting the overall visual effect. In this painting, we see the beginnings of a transition for Monet—from the realism of painting details and well-defined outlines, to the impressionism of painting the overall visual effect.
