The work of Claude Monet inspired the term 'Impressionism' and helped to define one of the most important artistic movements of the 19th century. This superbly illustrated account of Monet's long career brings the story of this remarkable painter vividly to life.An artist whose obsessive perfectionism led him to destroy his own work Claude Monet was a complex man. As a painter he challenged the French art establishment and created startlingly innovative works often executed out of doors and at high speed. He depicted human figures by means of a few rapid brushstrokes streaking the canvas with dashes of bold bright colour. His desire to record the precise effects of light and shade led him to work on up to 100 paintings in a single day. Interweaving biography with in-depth analysis of key techniques themes and stylistic approaches Monet gives a powerful insight into the life and work of one of the world's best-loved artists.