This summer, the San Diego Museum of Art is the only North American venue for an exhibit of 100 Impressionist paintings, with key examples by Claude Monet, Theodore Robinson, John Leslie Breck, Frederick Carl Frieseke, Pierre Bonnard, and many other international artists. The exhibit, entited Impressionist Giverny: A Colony of Artists, 1885-1915, runs though September 20.

All of the works on display were produced in or near the charming rural village of Giverny, which became a creative mecca for numerous Impressionist painters during the turn-of-the-century. This quaint setting served as an ideal site for plein-air painting, with subjects ranging from picturesque lily ponds to exclusive glimpses into domestic village life.

The exhibition explores the phenomenon of this turn-of-the-century artists’ colony over a 30-year period that corresponds to the time-frame when Monet, the village’s most famous inhabitant, developed his elaborate gardens and his signature style of Impressionist art.

Divided into four sections, Impressionist Giverny traces the chronological, stylistic, and thematic evolution of the art produced in the village, as well as the artists’ personal relationships with Monet and his large family. Historic documents and photographs round out this in-depth investigation of one of the world’s most recognized and enduring artist colonies.

The Museum’s presentation of Impressionist Giverny will be further enriched by an impressive group of paintings from SDMA’s permanent collection and select private collections in the region.