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Around Monet’s Water Lilies: Positive or Negative Impacts of Eye Disease on Artists?
- 1 The University of Edinburgh
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Claude Monet’s later works, particularly his Water Lilies series, underwent significant stylistic changes as his vision deteriorated due to cataracts. This article explores the impact of eye diseases on artists, focusing on how visual impairments influence artistic perception, techniques, and conceptual approaches. As Monet’s eyesight declined, his colour perception shifted, and his brushstrokes became broader and more expressive, contributing to a more abstract style. While vision loss posed considerable emotional and practical challenges, it also led to artistic innovation, pushing these painters toward new modes of expression. The study highlights how Monet’s boundaryless composition and emphasis on atmosphere rather than fine detail played a crucial role in the emergence of abstract art. These findings suggest that artistic resilience in the face of adversity can drive the evolution of artistic styles. Further research could explore how contemporary technologies assist visually impaired artists in maintaining their practice and whether such adaptations contribute to novel artistic developments.
Keywords
Monet, cataracts, impressionism, painting style mutation, eye disease
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Cite this article
Mei,X. (2025). Around Monet’s Water Lilies: Positive or Negative Impacts of Eye Disease on Artists?. Advances in Humanities Research,12(1),25-29.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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