According to Ross King’s excellent The Judgment of Paris, there was a day in the summer of 1874 when Manet showed up at Monet’s home and painted The Monet Family in their Garden at Argenteuil, a scene of Monet’s wife and son, and Monet puttering around in the garden.

Later that afternoon, Monet painted Manet Painting in Monet’s Garden, showing Manet in a wide-brimmed hat, painting Monet and his family.

Then Renoir showed up, “borrowed paints and a canvas from Monet and started his own work, Madame Monet and Her Son.”

Holy cow. Holy holy cow.

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