Woman Seated under the Willows

Under the willows swaying in the wind, a woman sits on the grass.
On the opposite bank, buildings along the river are faintly visible.

An intimate family portrait on a tranquil summer day.
For many years, this painting was known as 'Madame Monet Under the Willows.'
It was believed to depict Camille, Monet's beloved wife.
Even the catalog of the National Gallery of Art in Washington explained it as such.

However, in reality, Camille was no longer alive when this painting was created.

Summer of 1878.
Due to financial hardship, Monet moved to Vétheuil, a rural village near Paris.
His patron, Ernest Hoschedé, went bankrupt.
A strange communal life began, with the Monet family and the Hoschedé family, a total of twelve people.

Life was at its limit.
In September of the following year, 1879.
Camille, who had been ill, passed away at the young age of 32.
Left behind were their young eldest son, Jean, and their infant second son, Michel.
Supporting the grieving Monet and his children was Alice Hoschedé, the patron's wife.

She took on the household chores, effectively acting as a surrogate mother.
And when Monet painted outdoors, she herself served as a model.
It is now believed that the woman depicted in this painting is Alice.
Alternatively, it could be her daughters, Suzanne or Blanche.

After Camille's death, Vétheuil was hit by a record-breaking cold wave.
The Seine River froze completely.
Monet wrote a desperate letter to a close friend, saying he had 'no more strength to keep fighting.'
Days passed with barely enough money to buy paint.

1880.
The harsh winter receded, and warm light finally returned to Vétheuil.
Monet broke away from his Impressionist colleagues.
It was a big gamble for survival.
Exhibiting at the conservative Salon.
And holding a solo exhibition in a magazine publisher's exhibition space.
This painting was created amidst such a desperate struggle.