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. 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. In a virtuoso display of flowers, this 1897 work portrays a vibrant bed of chrysanthemums from his prized garden.