Monet exhibition set to wow Sydney
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Monet astounded Paris with his ability to capture light and colour on canvas. (Supplied)
George Shackelford beams as he casts his expert eye around the masterpieces by French impressionist painter Claude Monet hanging on the walls of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW).
The curator from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has accompanied one of the world's largest collections of Monet's works, which holds pride of place in the wealthy American city's premiere public gallery, for its only show in Australia.
"You see the eye, the brain and the hand in this incredible collaboration. It's mesmerising," Mr Shackelford said pointing to a painting of water lilies - one of the Monet's favourite subjects.
"What isn't there to love? Monet is the painter's painter. But also when he creates images of such beauty and luminosity as the ones you'll see in this exhibition, he's a painter for every man, not necessarily for those who are connoisseurs of paintings."
Revolutionary art
Monet was one of the artists who revolutionised art in the 1880s with the impressionist style, astounding Paris with his ability to capture light and colour on canvas.
His contemporaries and rivals - Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, Pissarro and Sisley - are also represented in this exhibition, which opens to the public this weekend at the AGNSW.
Monet was an extremely prolific artist. He painted thousands of works and found an eager market for them in America.
His dealer was quick to capitalise in the interest across the Atlantic, where newly wealthy businessmen were snapping up the avant garde European paintings.
And Mr Shackleford says Boston buyers joined those from New York at the front of the queue.
"Monet complained to his dealer that it broke his heart to see so many of his paintings going to America, but his dealer recognised that America was the greatest market for his paintings, much more than France," he said.
The Boston Museum holds nearly 40 Monets and 23 have come to Australia.
They are supplemented by another six from other collections, including one from the media owner Kerry Stokes.
The exhibition has been curated by Terence Maloon.
"This is live painting," Mr Maloon said. "You're actually seeing something done in the heat of the moment and it has all the energy of something being done on the spot rather than something that's been endlessly revised and perfected.
"It's like the difference between classical composition and jazz.
The exhibition will be on show until January and will then travel to the Te Papa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand.
