Water Lilies
Claude Monet · 1896–1926
Oil on canvas
Quick answer
Water Lilies (1896–1926) by Claude Monet is in Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris. Monet's Water Lilies is a series of approximately 250 oil paintings depicting the water lily pond at the artist's garden in Giverny, France, created between 1896 and 1926. The most celebrated display is the large-scale Grandes Décorations cycle, housed in two purpose-built oval rooms at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, France, which Monet gave to the French state as a gift and which opened to the public in 1927, after his death. The series is the most extended meditation on a single subject in the history of Western painting. World Museum Guide explains what you're looking at and how to see it.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Monet's Water Lilies?
The most famous Water Lilies are the large-scale Grandes Décorations in two oval rooms at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, in the Tuileries Garden near the Louvre. Many individual Water Lily paintings are also in major collections worldwide: the Art Institute of Chicago holds several, as do MoMA (New York), the National Gallery (London), and many others.
How many Water Lily paintings did Monet make?
Monet created approximately 250 individual paintings of the lily pond at Giverny between 1896 and 1926. These range from small easel paintings to enormous canvases measuring several metres. They are in collections across Europe, North America, and Japan.
Why did Monet paint the Water Lilies?
Monet created the lily pond garden at Giverny specifically as a subject to paint. He employed a team of gardeners to maintain it and had an enormous studio built nearby to work on large canvases. As his health and eyesight deteriorated in his final decades, the garden became his complete world — a controlled, intimate environment that he could observe at any hour, season, and light condition.
What are the Water Lilies painted on?
All Water Lily paintings are oil on canvas. The Orangerie panels are painted on linen canvas. Monet worked directly on very large canvases in his specially built studio at Giverny, then had the panels transferred to Paris for installation in the Orangerie rooms.
Can you visit Monet's water lily garden?
Yes — Monet's house and garden at Giverny, Normandy are open to the public from April to October each year. The garden, including the famous Japanese bridge and lily pond, has been restored and maintained according to Monet's own planting designs. It attracts over 500,000 visitors annually. Book tickets in advance, especially in summer.