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Why were Claude Monet’s Water Lilies murals installed in oval rooms at the Orangerie?
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Claude Monet
Self-Portrait with a Beret, oil on canvas by Claude Monet, 1886; in a private collection.
Claude Monet’s Water Lilies murals were installed in two oval rooms at the Orangerie to fulfill the artist's vision of creating an "encompassing environment" that would surround the viewer.12
Monet had long held the ambition of developing a giant decorative scheme that would encircle those who viewed his work, moving beyond the limitations of a traditional frame. By utilizing oval-shaped rooms, the installation allows the paintings to flow continuously around the space, effectively immersing the observer in the peace and beauty of his water lily pond. This design successfully realized his concept of embracing spatiality, creating a sanctuary that the painter André Masson later famously described as the "Sistine Chapel of Impressionism".12