The Tea Set by Claude Monet (1872)

I am very fond of many of Monet's still life paintings, which reflect his attention to detail and a love of pattern and light that are evident in his landscapes as well.  This one reflects his love of Asian art and porcelain.
How it all began is open to speculation, but one account goes like this.
" I had the good fortune to discover a batch of prints at a Dutch merchant's. It was in Amsterdam in a shop of Delft porcelain." Monet was haggling over an object without any success . "Suddenly I saw a dish filled with images below on a shelf. I stepped forward : Japanese woodblocks!" The merchant, not aware of the value of these prints, let him have them with the china jar.And so began his love affair with the classic Japanese woodblock prints of the 16th century.