Japanese Bridge

Japanese Bridge
Originally uploaded by ParisExpat

MONET'S JAPANESE BRIDGE IN GIVERNY BY Paris-Expat

Claude Monet's Japanese Bridge at his gardens in Giverny, which he painted over and over.

They say the gardens in Giverny are so interesting because Monet designed and built them himself - including diverting a river to make the water lilly pond which you see here. So in this way, Monet created his art TWICE - once as the gardener, and then once again when he painted his creations.

Monet was a collector of various plant and flower species - apparently the nearby inhabitants were upset about the pond being built because they thought all his "strange plants" would poison the water.

The gardens are a truly beautiful piece of changing, living art. Every few weeks there are entirely different types of flowers blooming and other plants in various stages of growth. It has become rather run down in the past, but like his house it is now restored to how Monet had it, they tell us.

Uploaded by ParisExpat on 24 Apr 06, 1.57PM PST