Monet was born in Paris in 1840 and spent part of his childhood in Normandy. He joined the French army for two years but became ill and left to study art. He did not enjoy the traditional teaching methods and instead joined the studio of painter Charles Gleyre. There he met other artists like Renoir and Sisley. Monet is famous for helping develop impressionism and often painted landscapes with water lilies and scenes along the Seine river.