This is just a link to a short letter to the editor I wrote to the Washington Post about two weeks ago, in response to an article by Sebastian Smee about one of Monet’s early paintings at La Grenoullière. He talks about Maupassant’s short story, “La Femme de Paul.” You can read Maupassant’s story in French as a free to download collection of stories, La Maison Tellier (his work is in the public domain now). I have written a translation of it, which I may post here once I’ve had the chance to go over it a few more times. Monet’s painting (see below) currently hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I was lucky enough to see it (and take this photo) the last time I was there.

[Update: They were kind enough to send me a PDF of the page.]