He was a prisoner of natural delights. His father wanted him to be a businessman. Fate decided something else and no one can stand against destiny.
This is the story of a child who was to become an eminent painter of the world and treasure of France.
Claude Oscar Monet, a famous French artist, was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris. His father was a shopkeeper and mother was an opera singer before.
His mother attracted him towards arts, but his father always tried to convince him that this would turn him into an underprivileged person.  He did not heed his father’s arguments.
He disliked study, considered school a prison and bunked to go to Le Havre port and beach, which were hardly five minutes walk away from the school. There he used to catch butterflies, feed birds and develop sketches.
When he grew up a little, his father took him out of school. He was glad to leave the school, but his joy vanished when he came to know that his father wanted to put him on a shop.
He wanted to become a painter. His mother Louise-Justine Aubree died in 1857 and he migrated to his childless widowed aunt Merry Jean’s home.
Monet arrived in Paris with help of Merry and passed most of his time in a nearby museum. There he composed caricatures and sceneries that he liked and sold them for 10 to 20 francs, which increased Monet’s popularity and confidence too.
The shop where his paintings were sold also displayed Eugene Boudin’s portraits. The shopkeeper arranged his meeting with Eugene.
Boudin was impressed with Monet’s work and decided to encourage him.
Monet used to admit that he could not have become a good painter if Boudin had not guided him.
In 1861, he was nominated for war through a draw when people wanted to avoid going to the war. His father offered him to run his shop so that he might avoid being sent to the war. But he refused and went to the front.
He showed his painting skills even during the war. Unfortunately, he fell prey to tuberculosis and returned home. His aunt paid a hefty amount to ensure that he did not have to go back to the war.
Mary persuaded him to take admission in a university, so he took admission in the Academy of Charles Glary in Paris where he met Frederic Bazille, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley, who later laid foundation of Impressionist Movement along with Camille Pissarro, Edward Manny and Paul Sezan.
In 1865, Monet met with a beautiful lady Camillie and got married. He had two children; she died at the age of 32 because of improper treatment. Her death changed his mindset and he decided to get rid of extreme poverty.
His portraits were sent to America where his famous works began to sell at higher prices; he purchased some property and established a studio there.
On December 5, 1926, he died and was laid to rest in Greeuni. Today his house is included in National Memorials of France. Monet’s water lilies paintings, hanging in his home, which has been turned into a museum, is one of the most expensive portraits of the world having worth of 0.8 million ponds.
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