The Worcester Art Museum was at the forefront of American institutions purchasing works by Monet. Director Philip J. Gentner acquired Water Lilies in 1910 from an exhibition of the artist’s work organized by the Parisian dealer Durand-Ruel. Monet painted series featuring the water lilies he cultivated in his garden at Giverny: first in 1899 with the Japanese footbridge that crossed the pond, and later, like in this painting, just the blooms on the water. In comparison to Monet’s earlier, more controlled brushwork, here each stroke is loose and gestural. The thinly applied paint allows layers of color to shine through, creating a surface wash of cool hues.

Claude Monet, 1908,
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, 1/22/20