As a youth, Monet spent time around the beaches of Le Havre, known for their chalky cliffs, variable skies and frequent changes in weather. Monet was concerned with portraying nature as he actually experienced it, rather than within the studio using sketches. He was fascinated with ephemeral effects of light and color at various times of day and in various weather.
When Monet began studying in Paris in 1859, he associated with other artists who sought to establish the validity of open air painting and a new freedom in the portrayal of contemporary life. They held an exhibition in 1874 that launched the movement afterward known as Impressionism. Monet's painting of a harbor scene, "Impression: Sunrise," prompted a disparaging critic to label the group "Impressionists." This work embodied many characteristics that have come to be associated with Impressionism, such as the elimination of earth tones, rapid and sketchy brushstrokes, and vibrant spectral contrasts instead of the use of line.
