Antibes - View of the Salis Gardens

Claude Monet completed this view of Antibes in 1888 during his second trip to the Mediterranean coast. The Salis Gardens appear in the foreground, with the town of Antibes and its old fort visible across the bay. A warm pink and blue light softens the scene, typical of his Mediterranean palette.

Monet stayed at the Chateau de la Pinede in January through April, producing about 39 paintings. The Salis Gardens and the old fort became his favorite subjects. He wrote to his partner Alice that the light was "so soft and beautiful" but difficult to capture. Critics later accused these Antibes works of being too decorative.

Ten paintings from this trip were exhibited at the Boussod and Valadon Gallery in Paris. Theo van Gogh purchased several on behalf of the gallery. This canvas now hangs at the Courtauld Gallery in London, alongside other works from Monet's Antibes series.