by Tom Gurney
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on May 6, 2026 / Updated on May 6, 2026
Email: tomgurney1@gmail.com / Phone: +44 7429 011000
Timeline of Monet's Water Lilies
The Water Lilies occupied Claude Monet for the final decades of his life. This timeline follows the development of the series from the creation of the garden at Giverny to the installation of the great panels at the Musée de l'Orangerie.
| Year | Event | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| 1883 | Monet moves to Giverny. | The village becomes his home for the rest of his life. |
| 1890 | Monet purchases his house and garden. | He gains greater control over the property and its future design. |
| 1893 | Monet begins developing the water garden. | The pond, bridge and water lilies are gradually created. |
| 1897-1899 | Monet begins the first major Water Lilies paintings. | The pond becomes one of his central motifs. |
| 1899 | The Japanese bridge appears in several major paintings. | The bridge gives the early Water Lilies a clear focal point. |
| 1900 | Early water garden paintings are exhibited. | The theme becomes recognised as a new direction in Monet's work. |
| 1903-1908 | Monet paints closer views of lilies, water and reflections. | The bridge and banks disappear; the pond surface becomes the subject. |
| 1914 | Monet returns with new ambition to the large decorative Water Lilies. | The series becomes more monumental and immersive. |
| 1915 | Monet has a large studio built at Giverny. | The space allows him to work on huge canvases. |
| 1918 | After the Armistice, Monet offers Water Lilies decorations to France. | The project gains symbolic meaning as a gift of peace. |
| 1922 | The donation to the French State is formalised. | The future Orangerie installation is secured. |
| 1926 | Monet dies at Giverny. | The Water Lilies remain his final great project. |
| 1927 | The Orangerie Water Lilies open to the public. | The installation becomes one of the most famous immersive art spaces in the world. |
Three main phases
| Phase | Dates | Visual character |
|---|---|---|
| Early garden views | 1897-1900 | Bridge, pond, banks, trees and lilies. |
| Pond-surface paintings | 1903-1908 | Closer views of water, lilies and reflections. |
| Late decorations | 1914-1926 | Monumental scale, no fixed horizon and immersive colour. |
See the main overview of Claude Monet's Water Lilies.
