Mad Enchantment

Ross King's "Mad Enchantment" delves into the tumultuous final years of Claude Monet's life, chronicling the creation of his iconic Water Lilies series. Beginning in 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, the book portrays Monet as a world-renowned artist in his mid-seventies, yet grappling with profound personal sorrow, including the death of his wife Alice and encroaching blindness, which had nearly halted his painting. Despite these immense challenges and the backdrop of a global conflict, Monet embarked on his most ambitious and innovative project to date: the monumental Water Lilies. Encouraged by figures like French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, Monet dedicated himself to these works, transforming his grief and physical ailments into artistic vision. The narrative explores his obsessive commitment, his unique working methods by his pond, and his grand plan for the 'Musée Claude Monet' at the Orangerie. Drawing on extensive letters and memoirs, King offers an intimate and complex portrait of Monet, illuminating the dramatic human story behind some of the greatest achievements in art history.