Last name, first name

Emotional engagement

Date:

The artwork represents a water landscape with a single timeless theme of water lilies. The

piece of art looks like a flower garden in a pool of water but it focuses mostly on the surface of a

water landscape, like a pond and clusters of plants floating surrounded by the reflection of the

blue sky. The piece of art creates an illusion of an endless mass of water without either a horizon

or banks because it does not show us its end or beginning. The water lilies, the pool of water and

the sky are an abstraction representation of an enormous piece of art. Consequently, the piece of

art captures different qualities of color and natural light as water and the sky both blend to give

us spatial signals of blue sky reflected in the mass of water. Therefore, this artwork suggests a

peaceful contemplation in the middle of a well-lit and colorful and flowering aquatic museum.

The imagery of this piece of art makes me focus on the tranquility presented by the

cloudy water body scene. Monet gives me a layered experience of water lilies by displaying the

water surface, the surface below the water and the sky reflected onto the water all

simultaneously. Different colors are incorporated into this piece of art some of which are dull

like the dark green color seen at the edges of floating lilies and some are cool like the light blue

color seen at the center of the water body. This awareness of color harmony by the artist enforces

my attention to the painting. Upon reflecting further on the painting, I notice a longing for beauty

as the color harmony is used as a decorative signal. Specifically, the six visible red flowers on

the piece of art are a representation of the decorative finishes used to depict his awareness of the

decorative function of water lilies which captures my attention making me fall in love with the
painting even more. Again, color harmony and the shape of the water lilies used in this particular

painting creates a sense of enigma, not to mention the illusion it creates about the water below.

From my point of view, the color harmony and the style of painting makes me unable to figure

out if I am only looking at the surface of the water body or the water below. The six vibrant red

lilies seen in this painting stand out from the rest which have dull colors creating in me, a

contrasting feeling.