Whether it is for his “Water Lilies” or for the way he was able to capture light on canvas during a sunset in Venice, Italy or with haystacks in the north of France, Claude Monet is not only one of the most beloved, but also historically significant painters of the last century. Claude Money was also a gambler.
As part of a group of artists known as the Impressionists, Monet and his peers revolutionized the art world simply by painting the world as they saw it, bathed in a glow of natural light. The style known as plein air directly contrasted academic painting of the period, surprising audiences with a more direct, bolder depiction of the real world.
The hordes of Monet lovers that flock to the many museums and galleries today, eager to catch a glimpse of Monet’s genius, might not be aware that he was an avid gambler as a younger man. As an emerging artist in Paris, Monet did everything in his power to make ends meet; taking risks playing card games similar to Baccarat and Blackjack, and even Roulette.
These endeavors indirectly enabled him to become one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. Planet 7 Online Casino is visiting France before the turn of the last century, and looking at one of its most famous inhabitants, Monet – the Gambler.
Origins of genius
Claude Monet was born in Paris on 14 November 1840. A true Parisian, from a young age Monet was quite familiar with a city that was on the brink of entering a cultural boom. As a teen, Monet followed his parents to Normandy; and while a student in the town of Le Havre, Monet quickly realized that school was not his strong point.
He developed a talent as a caricaturist. Early on, his teacher Eugène Boudin, recognized Monet’s talents as a draughtsman and portrait artist. Boudin encouraged the teen to take up painting, and it would not take long for Monet to realize that his true passion lied in painting, most importantly, in color.
In the small village of Rouelles, master and apprentice would spend countless hours painting landscape scenes, and a young artist gained the fuel for the fiery passion that would turn into a lifelong obsession: recording the beauty of the natural world through paint.
Monet heads to Paris
Monet eventually convinced his ambivalent family to allow him to leave Le Havre for Paris, an emerging art Mecca. It was in Paris that Monet would tackle his aspirations of becoming a full-time artist, and rub shoulders with the “who’s who” of the Parisian art scene.
In Paris, Monet frequented the Gleyre studio with comrades Pissarro and Renoir. Here he experienced the freedom to explore his talents and improve his painting skills. Unusual for the period, studio-owner and painter Charles Gleyre allowed his students to use his space free of charge, granting them the ultimate liberty to create.
The young men discovered the possibilities of the world around them, and encouraged one another stylistically. Fellow peer and friend, painter Frederic Bazille, came from a wealthy family, and allowed Monet to stay in his home; offering support at times from financial burden, and easing the strains of daily life. This allowed Monet to immerse himself in the thrill of Parisian life in the 19th century – socializing, painting and of course, gambling.
Surviving in Paris
With the introduction of the railway system in the mid-1800s in Paris, Monet was able to travel to the neighboring towns of Le Havre to see family, the coast of Normandy, Bougival, and Fontainbleau.
With easel and palette in hand, he would set up outdoors and paint the picturesque seaside towns, fields, rocky landscapes and glow of the winter sun. He brought his completed paintings back to Paris to sell, which helped sustain his life as a hungry artist.
The gravity of Monet’s youth is particularly perceptible in the early paintings and various sketches of this period. But life would remain difficult for the young man on his own without steady income.
In 1860s Paris, there were no art galleries or even an art market. Instead, the annual exhibition known as the Salon de Paris, funded by the French government, was the only chance for aspiring artists of the period to be taken seriously. Here, artists would be in direct financial relations with potential buyers.
The Salon, established in the 17th century, exhibited thousands of the latest paintings in hopes of finding new talent. Unfortunately, for Monet, his dreams of stardom were crushed. He was unable to find placement in the Salon despite having talent as artist. This caused bitterness for the young Monet during already distressing times, but he would nevertheless continue to paint.
Life in Paris was expensive. With no financial help from his family, Monet ultimately resorted to making real money gambling.
Gambling games and smoky cafés
As the 1860s rolled on, Paris, a vibrant and exciting city, was declared the cultural capital of the world. Many famous individuals such as Émile Zola, Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas frequented the popular nightly hangouts and watering holes of the city.
Venues like Brasserie des Martyrs and Café Guerbois served as the backdrop for a beehive of activity among the cliques of artists, writers and intellectuals of the period. Monet quickly found himself swept into big city life, mingling with the chic Parisians, and chasing the carefree city girls.
Although Monet enjoyed luxury, he came from modest means. He soon realized that the best way to sustain his nightly escapades was to use his knack for gambling, turning it into profit.
Gambling in Paris
During the second half of the 19th century, casinos and gambling enjoyed immense popularity in Paris. In addition to these, game nights and table games emerged in the cafés dotted throughout the city.
The two most popular gambling games at the time were a variation of Baccarat known as Chemin de fer and a predecessor of Blackjack called Vengt-et-un. Vingt-et-un, which literally means “21”, exhibited many of the same rules found in today’s version of Blackjack.
Chemin de fer, on the other hand, featured a large table with a croupier and suited the more upscale privé salons and cafés of Paris.
The name Chemin de fer comes from the French railroad system, which had only recently been introduced to the city.
Roulette takes a spin
Another popular game of the 1800s in France was Roulette; however, it was more common in the casinos. To this day, French Roulette incorporates a single zero as well as the use of the en prison rule at many land-based casinos. Learn more about playing roulette and history here if you wish to improve your game during your next online session!
Many of the salons patrons came from privileged backgrounds. These individuals could afford to wager and lose large sums of money without cause for concern.
Monet saw himself as something of a cardsharp, and was often able to overcome the many challenges in front of him when gambling. Amid the smoky café atmosphere, clinking glasses and stacks of francs, Monet realized he was a good player. He soon managed to win numerous back-to-back sessions playing cards.
His winnings not only afforded him food and art supplies, but finer canvas and larger frames for paintings he intended to exhibit at the Salon. From the sea of paintings exhibited at the Salon each year, larger format paintings stood out. The size practically became a requirement for emerging artists – a gamble Monet was willing to take.
A gamble on an artist and breakthrough
Despite the surmounting money difficulties, Monet finally found short-lived success with his painting “The Woman in a Green Dress”, which immortalized his first wife Camille Doncieux.
Despite being selected for the Salon in 1865, Monet was unable to gain any lasting exposure. He soon began to detest the attitudes of critics who did not fully appreciate his work. Struggling in France, Monet moved to London for a brief period in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War. He and friend Pissarro met with an art dealer by the name of Paul Durand-Ruel. Durand-Ruel was enthralled with Monet’s work, and the two formed a lasting partnership.
Gambling on an unknown, the art dealer decided he would support Monet financially. Soon he spread the word of his remarkable achievements. The business partnership would last many years. Durand-Ruel was an avid gambler himself. The two men would enjoy card games over brandy and discuss the various art related current affairs at his gallery.
Birth of Impressionism
After his brief stint in London, Monet returned to France in 1872. His painting “Impression, Rising Sun”, considered the first truly Impressionist work, inadvertently coined the movement itself. It came from a scathing review by critic Louis Leroy. But his intention to discredit an 1874 show featuring Monet and a host of others accidentally invented their identity.
Intended as an alternative to the Salon de Paris, the show dubbed the “Exhibition of Impressionists”. Hosted at photographer Nadar’s studio, the show featured the works of many famous Impressionist painters such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro and others. Unfortunately, many academics continued to receive the works poorly. It would take years for the art world to catch on to their genius, and Monet continued to struggle financially.
A big gamble
By 1891, despondent and in need of money, Monet decided to bet on the French lottery in hopes of winning big gambling. Fortunately, his gamble paid off and he managed to win nearly 1,000 francs, an amount equivalent to almost $14,000 today. This winning ticket granted him the opportunity to lift him out of near financial ruin.
With the continued fiscal support of Durand-Ruel, Monet was able to paint full-time, and began to see consistent albeit small success as a painter.
After the untimely demise of his wife Camille, Monet relocated to Giverny, France. There he settled down with his new wife, and started a new family. He continued to paint well into old age, and managed to sell paintings with the help of his art dealer. His most famous series of works, the “Water Lilies” comprised of some 250 paintings that Monet worked on for the last 25 years of his life.
The largest of these were a series commissioned by the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. They were painted in Monet’s final years while he was nearly blind. He eventually passed away on 5 December 1926 at the age of 86 in his home in Giverny.
Monet’s art legacy
Monet left a lasting impression not only on the art world, but also on the world in general. His paintings and drawings are found in almost every major museum throughout the world. These great works continue to be the focal point of major touring exhibitions. Millions recognize and admire his work, which have been featured on everything from stamps to umbrellas, billboards and lunch boxes.
The famed Bellagio casino and hotel in Las Vegas houses a fine art gallery featuring Monet’s work.
His paintings imbue a sense of calm and serenity. They describe the beauty of nature and everyday existence with a spectacular display of color. If it were not for his courage not only in art, but also at the gambling table, and an unflinching belief in himself, the world perhaps would never have known of the genius of Monet.
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