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Giverny - November 1897 The following is an extract from the novel La Mouette, by Rosie Packer Chapter 18 From Pont-Aven Dominic and Georges travelled to Giverny to meet the driving force of the Impressionists, Claude Monet. Georges had a connection with him through his family in Aix; his mother was a cousin of Paul Cézanne, and it was she who had initiated the meeting. However, both Dominic and Georges had written separately to Monet. Georges to thank him for agreeing to see them and Dominic to introduce himself and to confirm the date of their arrival. When they did arrive at Giverny they were spellbound by the beauty of the place; by the setting and the water gardens and even though it was late autumn, the flowers were still in abundance, and on the glassy surface of the water the floating lilies were still in profusion. They were collected at the station and driven to the artist's home in a little white horse-drawn van. On arrival at the house were they were greeted by Monet "Come in my friends" he said, beckoning them into his home. "Ah Fauchet" he remarked, turning to Dominic, "I've heard of you, and I've seen your work in Paris; it's interesting, it's innovative, I hope you are prosperous and well. He showed Dominic and Georges around the gardens, naming the flowers and sharing with them how he would try to capture their very essence. "When painting from nature", he said, "one is always chasing the moment that would never come again. I work to perfect an art that reflects the real world and I'm constantly trying to get closer to the subject," he told them. "Most likely what I am attempting is beyond my powers," and he sighed sadly. He then showed them around his studios; they climbed into a small boat and were ferried to his floating studio, anchored off a tiny island. There they saw almost a lifetime's work; paintings hanging in several rows. He showed them many canvases he had started at the same time, a range of studies of the same image, each one modified by the time of day, the position of the sun and the clouds and how the light reflected on the subject. They saw his series of haystacks; these too had been painted at different moments of the day, in different light. Monet then showed them his new series of paintings of water lilies. The canvases, filled with the changing patterns of light on the surface of the water, had become almost abstract; the paintings were a symphony of colours, and on the shimmering water, floated the exotic blooms of the lilies. When later they returned to the house, they were brought a carafe of wine, and the men sat together talking about the world, about art and about literature. Monet spoke again of his work, and of his fellow-Impressionists: "We knew what we wanted to do; to paint in the open air, and if we didn't know how to achieve what our instincts told us, we were sustained by each other's enthusiasm," he told them. As he listened to the great man's words, there was poignancy for Dominic for his thoughts drifted to Madeleine. This was clearly the most beautiful place I have ever visited; and in the presence of the founding father of Impressionism. If only Madeleine could be at my side; she would be in awe of the man, his paintings and the surroundings. And how Monet would have inspired her. How I miss her, how I need her in my life. And as these thoughts floated through his mind, felt a wave of despair wash over him. Monet's words shook him out of his reveries of Madeleine. "You're lucky", Monet was saying, "we paved the way for you, which is why your work has been so readily accepted. We struggled against poverty and the rigid conservatism of the Parisian art world." Then, looking at Georges, Monet asked after his family. "I saw Cezanne quite recently, he appears well," Monet then told him, "although I believe his mother is quite ill. Before he became successful, he had a hard time and really struggled. The critics ridiculed him; his closest friend from childhood, Zola, betrayed him, yet despite all this he persevered even though he was always full of self-doubt. And as you know, he is now successful and established within the art world. But I fear he will never be happy." Monet said gravely Georges smiled and nodded as Monet spoke, touched by his compassion as he spoke of his fellow artist. Monet then turned to Dominic. "You seem to have an air of sadness about you Fauchet, is it an affair of the heart?" he enquired. Dominic felt uneasy talking about his emotions and briefly described his separation from Madeleine. "Give her time, give her time," Monet replied. "I had my difficulties with Alice, but we've been married five years now; and we are very happy. I would be lost without her." Dominic took courage from these words and began to speak animatedly about his work, and their plans to visit England. "From my own experiences in England," said Monet, "you will need a palette full of every shade of grey!" After dinner they retired for the night, Dominic remained awake for another hour or so, as he wanted to chronicle the events of the day: what he had seen, what Monet had said, his reaction to his surroundings and his awe of the man's work. He wrote this in a steady hand at the desk in his room. The description of Giverny flowed from him easily: "The village of Giverny rests against the hills of the east bank of the Seine. The path of the sun follows the line of these hills so that in every season, whatever the time of day, the view from Giverny is lit from behind. Claude Monet is a remarkable man, so self-effacing and generous of others' achievements, it's as if he is unaware of his own great genius, yet he is one of the founders of a great and pioneering art movement." When Dominic had completed his journal he blotted it, and finding a Giverny seal on the desk, used it to close his papers. And all the while he was writing this he imagined Madeleine sitting opposite him, reading it, and asking him questions about his visit and begging him to take her there. The next morning, waking early, Dominic walked to the windows and pulled back the drapes and there before him with the mist unveiling the morning sun, the landscape was shimmering in an iridescent light. "This is an Impressionist's dream," Dominic thought, "an Impressionist's perfect heaven. I can see why Monet no longer needs to travel far a field in search of the perfect subject; everything he wants can found here, in his home in Giverny. They departed for Paris after breakfast; Dominic, looking forward to his brief visit to the city, was full of anticipation at seeing his dear friend Serge, whom he hadn't seen for over six months, and, of course, to hear news of Madeleine.