Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son

ABOUT THIS WORK

A woman stands against an impossibly blue sky, her white dress billowing, a parasol held aloft. This painting, made in 1875, captures Camille Monet (the artist's wife) and their son Jean on a windy summer day. It's not a formal portrait, but a glimpse of an everyday family stroll, painted quickly outdoors in a single session. The upward perspective places you below them, looking up at the vibrant clouds and the green underside of the parasol. Jean, the boy, is further away, almost hidden by a rise in the ground, creating a sense of depth in this lively scene. The work was Monet's largest painting of the 1870s, and it was one of eighteen works he exhibited at the second Impressionist exhibition in 1876.

DETAILS

Artist: Claude Monet
Date: 1875
Medium: Oil on canvas
Location: National Gallery of Art

ART MOVEMENTS

Impressionism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son

← → step through · Esc to close

5 details are marked · pick a number

01

The green parasol

Look at the parasol at the top. Its green underside picks up the meadow below and shades the woman's face against the bright sky.

1 of 5 on the painting

02

Wind-blown veil

Find the woman's face, half lost behind a thin veil that streams sideways. A few quick strokes make you feel the breeze on that summer day.

2 of 5 on the painting

03

Billowing skirt

Follow the long skirt down. Streaks of lilac, blue and white pile up in loose strokes, so the fabric seems to ripple and catch the light.

3 of 5 on the painting

04

Son in the grass

Spot the small boy in the hat, partly hidden by the grass on the hillside. He stands far below his mother, which makes the space feel deep.

4 of 5 on the painting

05

Scrubbed-in clouds

Look at the sky on the left. Clouds are dragged and dabbed in thick, scrappy marks of white, cream and gray over the blue, with no outlines.

5 of 5 on the painting

AUDIO DEEP DIVE

Stand in front of it and listen

The full narration walks you through Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.

Get the free app

0:00Preview · 0:30Free preview · 0:30 Hear the full story in the app

THE ARTIST

Claude Monet

1840–1926 · France

Claude Monet, the visionary founder of Impressionism, transformed how we see light and nature, famously capturing the same scene repeatedly to reveal fleeting moments.

Read Monet’s full story