Water lilies always bring to mind the paintings of Claude Monet, my favorite artist. Monet produced a series some 250 paintings of water lilies (Nymphéas in French) that were the main focus of his artistic production over the last thirty years of his life. One of the museums that I most love visiting is the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, because it houses eight massive water lily murals by Monet in two specially-built oval rooms. It is an incredible, meditative experience to just sit in one of those rooms, surrounded by those amazing paintings. (For more details on the water lily murals, including a virtual visit, click here.)
Conditions were considerably more chaotic than calm on 10 July when I visited Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington D.C. with several photographer friends. The weather was comparatively cool and comfortable, a welcome respite from the heat and humidity of recent days, and bustling throngs of people had gathered at the park to view the lotuses and water lilies. Fortunately the crowds concentrated in clusters at a few spots and I was able to explore many of the other lily ponds in peace.
One of the things that I love most about water lilies is the way that they seem to glow from within with a soft, warm light. It is always a challenge to figure out how to capture the beauty of the water lilies. Normally I concentrate on individual flowers, but for the first photo I decided to capture a wider view with two flowers in the midst of a carpet of lily pads.
As you can see, lily pads were inevitably a component in all of my compositions. Sometimes the lily pads make me smile. Why? Maybe it is just me, but when I look at the final photo, I can’t help but think of Pac-Man, a beloved video game of my younger days. I never really got into the complicated video game systems as technology advanced, but really enjoyed the relative simplicity of Pong and Pac-Man.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
These are lovely photos, Mike. I see what you mean about the last one. That was about the end of my interest in video games as well.
Thanks, Dan. When for the video game controllers began to have multiple buttons, joy sticks, and thumb pads and the memorization of all kinds of shortcuts, I gave up on them.
I always think of Pac-Man when the priest holds up the broken host and it looks like Pac-Man!
____________________ Holly S Hoxeng 5981 Chivalry Dr Colorado Springs CO 80923 303-877-5373 (c) 719-574-0176 (h)
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🙂 I definitely can understand your reference, Holly.
Mike I think Claude would approve. Great images. Thanks
Thanks, John. Flowers are definitely not my forte in photography, but the water lilies do inspire me. 🙂
Very Nice Mike! Looks like a Great place to photograph!
Thanks, Reed. It is a cool place to walk around and having the chance to get some shots is an added bonus. 🙂
Lovely!
Thanks, Kathy
A lovely set, Mike! These lily blooms just draw you in, they are quite a package of lines, colors, shapes… they just keep on giving!
That’s a wonderful Monet exhibit, well wonderful hardly describes it…
Thanks, Ellen. I love your description of the positive aspects of the water lilies–“they just keep on giving.” As for Monet, there is so much of his art that I really enjoy in addition to his water lilies. There are a number of his paintings hanging in the National Art Gallery here in Washington D.C. that I love to visit, though I must confess that I have not done so in well over a year as a consequence of the Covid-19 restrictions.
You’re welcome! Sitting here thinking there is probably no bad Monet, did he paint over any that didn’t get good reception? 🤔 Weird Monday morning musings…
Wow. What a crazy way to start a Monday. I suspect that Monet, like most painters, painted over some of his canvases, but I am not sure if that would have been because of a bad reception. Monet and other impressionist painters were not well-received initially. As I recall, Monet had a bit more success financially than some of the others, but struggled financially at time. As he drew older, he had big problems with cataracts and his eyesight deteriorated significantly and he had trouble with colors. I came across one article that noted that he destroyed some of his canvases after he had cataract surgery and touched up some of his paintings because he could not see colors more truly. Here is a link to that article (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408507/).
Ha, a little stir crazy here as I nurse a joint inflammation that’s kept me home for almost a week.
I was astounded to read in that article how early (pre-1913) cataract surgery was being done. And interesting they mention Zeiss eyeglass lenses, a company still in business, which is also amazing.
Cataract surgery is amazing nowadays, but was obviously much more risky during the early 20th century. I had it done several years ago and now need glasses only for reading or close work when the lighting is less than optimal. Before the surgeries, I wore glasses for more than 50 years. I had one eye done first and the second one a couple of weeks later. During the interim period when only one eye was “fixed,” it was fascinating to compare the differences between them. Through the “fixed” eye, everything was brighter and the colors were much more vivid, while through the eye with cataracts, things were dimmer, more muted, and had a slight yellow color cast. Cataract surgery is still a little scary, though, because what they do is pulverize the lens in your eye with ultrasonic tools and then suck out the pieces and put in a plastic lens–there is no going back. 🙂
It sure is, even more so than even 20 years ago. Most folks I know that have it done are pushed to it by night driving issues, not color or that they can’t make out the dust in their house. Interesting comparison experience you had with one done/one not for those few weeks. Do you where any glasses now taking photographs? I’ve worn glasses since the 4th or 5th grade, so about 50 years, and never wanted to try contacts. I think photography without the glasses would be a bonus.
I’m told I will need it done some day, and will admit that even today’s risks give me pause.
It was in fact night driving that caused me to realize my vision was getting worse–I had trouble reading exit signs. My prescription had been pretty constant but then changed rather abruptly, so it was no longer correctable to 20/20 with glasses. Since my surgery I am 20/20 at distance and don’t need glasses to drive or even to take photos. Sometimes I have trouble seeing the details of the images on the back of my camera without my reading glasses, which has the benefit of keeping me from “chimping” too much. I have though of getting glasses that are clear on the top and readers on the bottom, but so far really Iike the ease of using my camera without glasses. I too started needing glasses around the 5th grade and wore them all my life, because I was so near-sighted. It is strange for me to realize that I am now a bit farsighted.
Delightful images, Mike. Love the luminosity.
Thanks, Eliza. There is something so special about the light coming out of the water, almost like little floating Japanese lanterns.
A perfect descriptor!
I so like water lilies! There is a glow and elegance about them. Your reference to Monet took me straight back to Giverny, his wonderful home and magnificent gardens.
Thanks, Chris. I am so happy to have sparked such wonderful memories. Giverny is on my list of places that I would like to visit. Water lilies are pretty special by themselves and it is easy to see why Monet became so entranced by them.
These are a treat!
These are lovely, Mike. I am very partial to water lilies too. I don’t think the murals were on display at the Orangerie when I was in Paris, 1970-73. I don’t remember ever seeing them.
Another favorite subject of Monet’s was the Rouen cathedral. I studied French in Rouen the summer after high school graduation, living wirh a young family just outside the city in Déville-les-Rouen. We are still in touch, almost 55 years later. Visiting the several cathedral paintings at the National Gallery of Art always brings back fond memories of that summer.
From what I could determine, the paintings have been at the Orangerie since 1927, thought they have not always been favorably viewed. I seem to recall seeing them there in 1974-1975 when I spent my junior year of college in Paris. I have more vivid memories, though, of the impressionist paintings that were in the Jeu de Paume, at another corner of the Tuileries Garden. Those paintings were later moved into the Musee d”Orsay when it was created. I have never been to Rouen, but remember that series of cathedral paintings as well as the series done of the Houses of Parliament. I really admire the way that Monet would paint the same subject multiple times, in varying light or seasons. I love hearing how seeing the paintings today can bring back memories of the distant past–Proust would undoubtedly agree with the power of those involuntary memories. 🙂
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This is so beautiful. Monet was a wonderful artist!
Dwight