Nymphéas

Nymphéas from 1903 at the Musée Marmottan Monet represents the water lily series at an early stage of its radical development — the pond surface shown with lily pads and reflections of overhanging willow foliage, the horizon absent but the composition not yet as purely immersive as the late panels. The Marmottan's collection spans virtually the entire series, providing an unmatched overview of the motif's evolution. By 1903 Monet was already thinking of the pond paintings as a unified environmental ensemble.

Willow reflections trail across the pond surface in long, sinuous strokes of green and gray that intersect with rounder marks used for lily pads. The color range is cooler and more complex than in sunny versions of the motif — greens and blues dominate, with warm pink of lily flowers providing the primary note of warmth.