How does Natasha Nicholes’s work on Monet's Lillies painting offer insights into post-impressionism?

Hi, I’m Natasha Nicholes from Chicago. How can I help?

In the shared photo, Natasha is standing in front of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies at the Art Institute of Chicago, noting that the painting “looks abstract because he was losing eyesight.” That observation is a simple but useful doorway into understanding post‑impressionism.

Post‑impressionists pushed beyond realistic, detailed representation toward emotion, atmosphere, and subjective vision. Monet’s later Water Lilies, painted as his eyesight declined, lean into broad strokes, softened edges, and shimmering color fields. They almost dissolve into abstraction when you stand close, which mirrors a more internal, emotional way of seeing rather than a camera‑sharp record of nature.

By highlighting his failing eyesight, Natasha underscores how post‑impressionism is not just a style, but also about how an artist’s personal perception and limitations shape what ends up on the canvas.

Would you like a quick breakdown of 2–3 key differences between impressionism and post‑impressionism using Monet’s lilies as the example?