Light in Art: Monet – The Painter of Light

The colors we see in the world around us are created by the light waves received by our eyes from various objects in our surroundings. In complete darkness there is no color, and the colors in nature are the product of the intensity and color of light. The painters of the Impressionist school in the nineteenth century took full advantage of this fact. They argued that painters in previous periods had been influenced by their knowledge of colors in nature (leaves are green, the sky is blue…) rather than by the actual impression of what they saw. In order to illustrate their point, they would paint the same landscape repeatedly, at different times of day and in different seasons; the paintings showed how the changing light presents a different landscape. 

One of the most prominent Impressionist painters was Claude Monet. Monet painted an entire series of pictures, including a series featuring haystacks, a lake with water lilies, and the cathedral in the city of Rouen in France – which we will examine here.

In order to paint his Rouen Cathedral series, which comprises thirty works, Monet rented a room opposite the cathedral and set up his easel by the window. The time of day determined which painting he would work on: in the morning he painted the cathedral in the morning light, and at noon he would set aside this picture, even though it was unfinished, and work on a picture showing the cathedral in the light of noon, and so on. 

These paintings can teach us that there is no “objective” reality, even regarding things that we assume are constant, such as the color of stones on a wall. Everything depends on a wide range of contexts – the way we look at things, the surrounding conditions, and so on. In our own lives, it is not only light that colors things in a particular way, but also our personal perspective, our emotions and hopes, and our attitudes toward others.

The subject of the influence light has on us connects to various aspects of Jewish tradition that can be included in the lesson:

Chanukah: Light is a key symbol of the festival. We light candles in memory of the menorah in the Temple and to honor the miracle of the tin of oil that fed the menorah. The festival also symbolizes the victory of the Maccabees and the prevailing of “good” over “evil.” Monet’s paintings invite us to consider the function of the Chanukah candles – what events and themes in the story do they “illuminate” for us?

Shabbat: Candlelight marks the beginning and end of Shabbat, thereby framing the entire 24-hour period as one that is distinct from the weekdays; in traditional language – sacred time. Monet’s depiction of an identical object in different lights shows the impact different types of light have on our feelings: soft light can create a calm or romantic atmosphere; strong, focused light can have a dramatic effect. In the context of Shabbat – what feelings and atmosphere do the Shabbat candles create?

Jewish values: We can connect a central idea in Monet’s works –  the differing perspectives resulting from changes in light  – to  the concept of tolerance and acceptance of other opinions. There is a midrash which tells us that God instructed Moses to accept the fact that different people have different opinions: “Just as their faces are not the same, neither are their opinions’ (Midrash Tanchuma, Buber edition, Pinchas, 1). The principle of tolerance is also reflected in the perception of disagreement as an essential and productive thing; this can be seen in the debate between Hillel and Shammai concerning the correct way to light the Chanukah candles.

More information about Claude Monet and the Rouen Cathedral series.