Monet and Chicago

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1906, oil on canvas, Art Institute of Chicago.

When Monet’s paintings first appeared alongside his contemporaries’ in a Chicago gallery in 1888, he was singled out for praise by the press. And when his works were shown in the city again as part of the last Inter-State Industrial Exposition in Chicago (also known as the “American Salon”) in 1890, they not only captured the eye of local collectors—they ignited a collective passion. Several tastemakers began to aqcuire works by the artist and in 1903, the Art Institute became the first American museum to purchase one of Monet’s paintings. This exhibition presents Artic’s collection, the largest collection of works by Monet outside of Paris.