莫奈最後歸宿:獨守家園 寵辱不驚

雨暘明晦 地久天長(五之五)

Monet 曾受舉世景仰,也曾受千夫所指。到了晚年,面對天地之悠悠,Monet 的胸襟多了一份寵辱不驚的坦然。在不知不覺間,Monet 與大自然逐漸分割,用雙手創造出屬於自己的世界。
1890年,Monet 回到魂牽夢縈的家 Giverny。1892年,Alice 的丈夫 Hoschedé 終於去世,Monet 與 Alice 靜靜地在 Giverny 結婚了。過去十年,這段世俗所謂的不倫之戀經歷多少起伏不定、膽戰心驚,今天總算守得雲開。
這時候的 Monet,經過十年的顛沛流離,已然復歸平靜,在自己的家閑靜地作畫,享受天倫之樂。他不用再四出尋找靈感,經歷過不同景致的絢爛與猙獰,混沌的心境已然澄明開闊。
他現在最想做的,是用最直接有力的方法表達大自然的微妙變化。起初他只打算畫一兩幅,後來,發現兩幅不足以帶出他期望的效果,便畫了四、五幅。最後,他想通了,他要畫一整個系列,並一共畫了25幅同一主題的作品。那就是著名的 Graninstack series。

Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks in the Sunlight, Morning Effect</em>, c. 1890. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks in the Sunlight, Morning Effect</em>, c. 1890. Oil on canvas.

 

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstacks, End of Summer&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks, End of Summer</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstacks (Midday)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks (Midday)</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstacks (Snow effect, morning)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks (Snow effect, morning)</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Series paintings 在當代並非全然創新,Monet 早年也創作過類似 Series paintings 的作品。然而這一次不同,Monet 刻意選擇 Grainstacks,把題材簡化到最單一、最平實的表達,當中沒有任何偉大的信念、信息、故事、高潮迭起,純粹是描繪大自然在陽光下的細微變化,,把印象派的 variety of motif 推進到 variety of effect 的層次。Monet 說:”To me, the motif itself is an insignificant factor, what I want to reproduce is what lies between the motif and me.”

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstacks (Snow effect, sunset)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstacks (Snow effect, sunset)</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack (Snow effect, overcast day)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack (Snow effect, overcast day)</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack&lt;/em&gt;, 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack</em>, 1890-91. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack (Thaw, sunset)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack (Thaw, sunset)</em>, c. 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
這種作品另一個特別之處,是它們的存在務必互相依存,互相聯繫,透過一整個系列的表達才產生出畫家期望的效果。Monet 作畫後,定必將所有作品排列在一起,比對過後加以修飾,務求令所有作品互相輝映,帶出一種和諧與寧靜。Monet說:”Their true worth only resides in relation to each other and as part of the entire series……Their value is only acquired by comparison and succession over the entire series.”
1891年,Monet 完成首15幅作品,讓 Durand-Ruel 出展售賣。One-man show 在當代本來就不普遍,何況今次是 “One man, one motif”,當代法國可謂聞所未聞。雖然 Monet 希望15幅作品永不分離,但現實並不可能──作品一幅一幅售賣到不同地方,有人更用高價炒賣,希望可以將作品出售到美國。今天這批作品已散落世界不同角落。Art Institute of Chicago 保留最多作品,但也只有六幅。

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack (Sun in the Mist)&lt;/em&gt;, c. 1891. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack (Sun in the Mist)</em>, c. 1891. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack&lt;/em&gt;, 1891. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack</em>, 1891. Oil on canvas.

Claude Monet, &lt;em&gt;Grainstack in the Sunlight&lt;/em&gt;, 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Claude Monet, <em>Grainstack in the Sunlight</em>, 1890-91. Oil on canvas.
Monet 所以有這樣全新的意念,其中一個原因是要抗衡 Neo-Impressionism 新印象派,特別是高更(Gaugain)等後世知名畫家。高更與 Monet 的思想截然不同,認為事物的顏色完全取決於畫家手中,畫家不用拘泥現實的顏色與形狀,而應着重激發觀畫人的思考。”It matters little whether there is any such thing as blue shadows or not.  If tomorrow a painter should decide that he seeks pink or violet shadows, he is free to do so without being answerable to anybody, provided that his work is harmonious and gives us food for thought.”
Monet 不敢苟同。Monet 認為,畫家必須忠於大自然帶給眼睛的一切。他說過:”When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have before you, a tree, a house, a field or whatever.  Merely think here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact color and shape, until you give your own naive impression of the scene before you.”
帶着這個信念,Monet 令平凡偉大、令片刻光景永垂不朽。
25幅 Grainstack series 為 Monet 帶來不少財富。之後數年,Monet 展開了不同的 Series:

Vanessa Wong