French artist Claude Monet (1840 1926) was one of the founders of the Impressionist movement and is considered one of the most successful painters in contemporary art. Impressionism, which originated in France in the 1860s, is characterized by the artist s depiction of the visual impression of the moment, specifically the transient effect of light and colour. Monet was particularly fascinated with portraying the beauty of nature as the light, shadows and colours changed with each passing moment, day or season.After purchasing property in Giverny, France, in 1890, Monet set about designing an expansive garden according to the contrasts of colour and shadow, as though it were a painting. This garden was Monet's great passion and the inspiration for many of his most famous works, including a series of canvases called Chrysanthemums. The 1897 painting reproduced on our cover portrays a vibrant bed of colourful chrysanthemums captured in Monet s distinctive heavy brushstrokes, which beautifully highlight the magnificence of nature.