Claude Monet

Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840,  in Paris. A few years later, his family moved the the Normandie harbor town of Le Havre, where his father ran a marine trade supply store.  Monet spent most of his youth in Le Havre, drawing caricatures of the locals, a talent which got him into trouble at school.  Claude was a rebel, and he frequently disobeyed the rules.
Regardless of her son's rebelion in school, Louise Monet was very encouraging of her son's budding talent.  By the age of fifteen, Claude was selling caricatures for as much as 20 francs, which did not please his parents, who were well off from their prosperous business.  Nonetheless, Monet continued drawing caricatures, and wasn't really interested in painting until he met Eugène Boudin, the man who would become his mentor.  Boudin encouraged the young Monet to go outside and paint nature scenes, playing an important role in the young artist's development. I think my favorite painting of his is the water Lily pond called pink harmony, the reason it is my favorite is because of all of its colors.