FIRST IMPRESSIONISM: Edward Enninful has lost himself in a world of waterlilies, working with two of Paris’ most renowned museums to bring the work of Claude Monet to an even broader audience.
Enninful, the former editor in chief of British Vogue, has teamed with Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie and the printing pioneer Lito Masters on a series of ultra-precise prints on paper of his favorite Monet works.
Images of Enninful’s favorite paintings have been remastered using Lito’s proprietary “Hi-Rnd” technology, which is able to recreate the colors, texture, relief and brushstrokes of original artworks.
Enninful chose mostly paintings of waterlilies for the project, although there are also Monet’s renderings of the Houses of Parliament in London, and the Rue Montorgueil in Paris.
A Lito Masters print of Claude Monet’s painting “Nympheas.”
The collaboration coincides with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, which was considered a radical movement at the time, with the paintings panned by the late 19th century art critics. Those paintings now command multimillions at auction.
The museums described their collaboration with Enninful as a “significant milestone,” and the first time they have teamed with a creative leader to showcase the artwork in their galleries.
The printed works are available for purchase starting Thursday across the museums’ shops in Paris, and online via litomasters.com and farfetch.com.
Enninful said he got involved in the project because “dispelling the notion that creativity should be exclusive” has always driven him.
A Lito Masters print of one of Monet’s beloved waterlilies.
“I was really impressed with Lito’s mission to bring artworks into more people’s homes through their use of modern craft and latest technology, as well as their respect for the original works of art themselves. Through our combined forces, I hope to play a part in introducing masters to a new generation, [which] might have the same response to Claude Monet’s work as I did.”
Lito was founded in 2022, and is based in Bregenz, Austria. Lito Masters is the conservation arm of the company and aims to support museums and institutions by providing tools for research and reproduction. It also works with contemporary artists to create original artworks which are then rendered and developed to limited editions.
