Claude Monet was a visionary painter whose pursuit to understand and capture light, color, emotion and the natural world was relentless. The Boat Studio (Le bateau-atelier) is a loyal reproduction of Monet’s original oil painting titled simply House Boat created in 1876. The original is part of the permanent collection owned by the Barnes Foundation, Merion, PA and is one of the most popular prints purchased by visitors to the gallery. However, why settle for a print when an incredibly accurate hand painted version is available? There is little able to capture the true qualities of the Impressionist style other than oil on canvas.

From around 1872 until 1878 Monet lived in the sailing town of Argenteuil situated just fifteen kilometers from the center of Paris along the River Seine. Monet would use his studio boat in order to examine the effects of light upon the River and so capture colors in a way no artist had ever before. Monet never mixed grey or black in his colors to create contrast. Instead, strokes of pure color were placed side by to create contrast.

During the eight years Monet lived in Argenteuil he produced one hundred and seventy works of art: each dedicated to the development of the Impressionist style. The House Boat is among Claude Monet’s earliest Impressionist art works and one of his most recognized.