View of Vétheuil, Claude Monet
“This Monet seems to me the most valuable of the French paintings. It is a very rare picture; ... it is a delicate Monet, but in its almost Rococo-like delicateness of line and color it has all the irresistible infallibility of all the paintings by this master.”
Both summer and winter views of Vétheuil are distinguished by a new pastel-like colorfulness. The technique is livelier than in the 1870s; decisive little colored dashes are evidence of the painter’s firm sure brushstroke. This gives some works an almost decorative touch and makes them seem oddly cheerful.
