Monet paints Camille's deathbed as Lee Chan Won recreates Bach's pain
KBS2's Celebrity Soldier's Secret spotlights Claude Monet's cataracts, Water Lilies and Bach's fatal eye surgery on July 14.
The life trials and artistic obsession faced by Impressionist master Claude Monet will be reconstructed on screen. In the 64th episode of KBS2's 'Celebrity Soldier's Secret,' airing at 8:30 PM on the 14th, the program explores Monet's artistic soul and the tragic life and death of the father of music, Johann Sebastian Bach.
Monet's obsession: Recording even his wife's final moments
While Monet left behind masterpieces such as 'Impression, Sunrise' and 'Water Lilies,' his early artistic career was far from smooth. To protect his love for his wife Camille, a former model, he endured extreme financial hardship by giving up economic support.
The true focal point is his artistic obsession, which never ceased even amidst poverty. Even as his wife Camille was dying, Monet held his brush, observing the changing complexion of her face. The result is the posthumous portrait 'Camille on her deathbed' (Camille sur son lit de mort), capturing the final moments of his wife who passed away on September 5, 1879, at the age of 32. This work is currently held in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France, and Monet cherished this painting throughout his life, never once exhibiting it.
How cataracts changed the colors of 'Water Lilies' and Bach's tragedy
After gaining fame as a painter, Monet was struck by cataracts that blurred his vision. Despite suffering from aftereffects where objects appeared distorted or the world looked blue following surgery, he vowed, "I will paint what I see until the end," and completed a series of approximately 250 'Water Lilies' paintings set against the Giverny pond over 30 years. In the broadcast, docent Lee Chang-yong points out the traces left by cataracts on Monet's changing painting style.
The tragic life of musician Johann Sebastian Bach is also highlighted. Suffering from vision problems, Bach decided to undergo surgery by the ophthalmologist of the time, John Taylor. However, due to the poor medical environment of the era where there was almost no anesthesia, he passed away four months after the surgery while complaining of extreme pain. In this episode, singer Lee Chan Won will reenact Bach's cataract symptoms to recreate the pain of that time.
Art history instructor Lee Chang-yong and actress Shin Seul-ki will appear in this episode to unfold the stories. KBS 2TV's 'Celebrity Soldier's Secret' is a medical storytelling variety show that explores the diseases and medical knowledge of the time through the lives and deaths of famous figures.
