“Many of Monet’s colleagues shared his passion for gardening and were inspired to paint gardens as emblematic of the pursuit of modern, middle-class leisure. They were among the first artists to portray gardens observed directly from life, disconnected from historical, religious or literary themes. As the century drew to a close, Post-Impressionists and Symbolists embraced more subjective approaches by imagining gardens as visionary utopias; many turned to painting gardens to explore abstract color theory and decorative design.” William H. Robinson, co- curator

The exhibition "Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse" looks broadly and deeply at the garden theme in modern art through paintings by Claude Monet and fellow Impressionists, Post-Impressionists and avant-garde artists of the twentieth century. On view at the Cleveland Museum of Art from October 11, 2015, through January 5, 2016, it has been co-organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Royal Academy of Arts in London.