Monet exhibition opens in Paris

PARIS, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A show billed as the largest exhibition of works by French impressionist Claude Monet has opened at the Grand Palais in Paris.

"This is an overwhelming collection of masterpieces. It will revive interest in Monet," Guy Cogeval, director of the Musee d'Orsay since 2008, told Radio France Internationale. "While working in the United States, I noticed that Monet was considered one of the three major pillars in the history of painting, while in France he has been taken for granted."

Richard Thomson, one of the show's curators, told the news agency he hopes the exhibition offers another perspective on who Monet was an artist.

"Yes, he painted lovely, sunlit landscapes, but he also painted nature in all its different moods," Thompson said. "His work can be incredibly rough and aggressive. We've tried to include pictures in this exhibition that show the dangerous Monet."

Organizers said the exhibition, which runs through Jan. 24, could break attendance records and long lines are expected.