Man with Umbrella

Curated by Max Cantu-Lima

Look at this man here. He has an umbrella and a mustache to go along with it. This fairly obscure piece of work, over shadowed by Monet's other umbrella piece, Women with Parasol, portrays a man strolling down the road, book under his arm.The man looks straight ahead. He has all the time in the world, but none to spare to turn back.

We can not see what lies ahead or what has already passed. The umbrella he carries shields him from the road behind him. It acts as his tool to move onward, not granting him the chance to sneak a peek into the past. We see the present. A man. His dog. His books. Present at that very point on the path.

His appearance initially appears as lost, but this route only has one direction to move from. Where we start, and where we end up. He’s curious. Content. Breathing in his surroundings, the fresh air of nature. He soaks in the moment. With his youth in the past, the man simply keeps moving. Both him and the dog travel the same road, ending up at the same destination, but for the time being, enjoy each others company.