Framed The Pyramids, Cliffs at Belle-Ile by Claude Monet

The Pyramids, Cliffs at Belle-lle by Claude Monet is an 1886 painting that captures the rugged coast of Belle-lle, a small island off the coast of Brittany in France. Monet visited the island and was struck by the dramatic rock formations and shifting light on the Atlantic, which differed from his softer depictions of gardens and rivers. In this work, he focuses on jagged, pyramid-like cliffs rising out of the sea, rendered with bold, broken brushstrokes that convey the force of wind and waves. The palette of blues, greens, and grays emphasizes the power and moodiness of the ocean, while the fleeting effects of sunlight animate the rocks’ surfaces. This painting exemplifies Monet’s ability to translate natural grandeur into the immediacy of Impressionist color and texture.