The Ecology of Monet

Claude Monet, Boating on the River Epte, 1890, São Paulo Museum of Art, São Paulo,

The Ecology of Monet presents a contemporary interpretation of Claude Monet 's relationship with nature, environmental transformations, the modernization of the landscape, and the tensions between humans and nature. The exhibition features works spanning much of the artist's career—from the 1870s to the 1920s—revealing different moments in his relationship with landscape and the environment. On view from May 16 to August 24, 2025, the exhibition features 32 paintings by the French Impressionist, most of which have never been seen before in the Southern Hemisphere.

The exhibition addresses different aspects of Monet's relationship with ecology in five sections: Monet's Boats; The Seine as an Ecosystem; Fog and Smoke; The Painter as Hunter; Giverny: Controlled Nature.
"It's undeniable that the artist had a keen eye for the environmental transformations of his time, documenting everything from growing industrialization to natural phenomena such as floods and thaws. However, Monet's relationship with ecology at the time was different, very different from the current dimensions of the term, both in the fields of climate science and art history. Even so, it's possible to draw contemporary interpretations of his work, especially if we consider the power and impact his work continues to have on society," states curator Fernando Oliva.

The section "The Seine as Ecosystem" addresses water as a constant motif in the artist's work, who grew up in the city of Le Havre, in northern France, where the Seine River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout his life, Monet traveled much of the river's 776 km and its tributaries, developing a deep relationship with river landscapes, which also express social customs and the process of industrialization. In the exhibition, the importance of the Seine River to the artist's life and work is also represented in a curved exhibition panel that symbolizes the river's course.

The waterway also features prominently in the section "Monet's Boats," in which the Impressionist depicts the tributary of the Seine River in a immersive light. The boats are shown from elevated vantage points, thus eliminating the notion of a horizon line. The river's current is highlighted by wavy brushstrokes in shades of red and yellow that complement the intense green.

The section "Fog and Smoke" discusses how Monet represented the urban and industrial transformations of his time. Steam power, expanding factories, coal production, and rapid changes in the means of production altered the skylines of 19th-century cities, causing church spires to compete with chimneys in the urban landscape. The works depicting London's Waterloo and Charing Cross bridges are emblematic, as they demonstrate Monet's exploration of atmospheric perspective with unique colors and brushstrokes, lending thickness to the fog and highlighting the air laden with smoke released by the industries located along the River Thames.

"The Painter as Hunter" is based on Monet's long walks in search of good views to paint, or, as he himself called them, good "impressions." While the artist initially limited himself to easily accessible areas, especially after the 1880s, he began venturing onto trails in search of unique vantage points. This section also features paintings by Monet created during his travels along the French coast—Normandy, Brittany, and the Mediterranean—as well as visits to other countries, such as the Netherlands.

"Giverny: Controlled Nature" features works such as The Japanese Bridge (1918–1926) and The Japanese Bridge over the Water Lilies at Giverny (1920–1924), conceived by the painter during the retreat he created in the gardens of his estate in Giverny, where he lived for over four decades. This section reflects on Monet's passion for his gardens, which can also be analyzed as a desire to control and shape nature.

"The exhibition reflects the painter's complex relationship with the natural landscape and the environment. His paintings combine a eulogy of the environment with an attempt to organize and contain it," concludes Oliva.

Monet's Ecology is part of MASP's annual program dedicated to the Histories of Ecology. The year's program also includes exhibitions by Hulda Guzmán, Women Affected by Dams, Frans Krajcberg, Clarissa