The Darkest Painting by the Painter of Light: Monet's Camille on Her Deathbed

True to his nickname, "the painter of light," most of Monet's paintings are filled with brightness. But among the small handful of dark paintings he left behind, this is one.

Camille became pregnant at a young age after meeting Monet, and the couple began married life without either family's blessing. Monet would later become wealthy, but during this period they lived in crushing poverty. It's said that Camille eventually died of tuberculosis amid those hardships. It's hard to imagine what Monet must have felt, watching his wife fall ill and die just as their circumstances were starting to improve. In the end, Camille passed away, and wanting to preserve her final appearance forever on canvas, Monet painted this scene as he watched her in her last moments.

That this painting held special meaning for Monet is evident in the signature at the lower right corner. Unusually, a small heart has been added alongside his signature — found only on this particular painting.