The Early Life of Claude Monet To understand the mechanics of modern perception, one must look at the specific, often turbulent, origins of Claude Monet. Born on 14 November 1840 in Paris, France, he was the second son of Claude-Adolphe Monet and Louise-Justine Aubrée Monet. His entry into the world was marked by a formal baptism on 20 May 1841 at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Paris, where he was recorded under the name Oscar-Claude. This early Parisian existence was short-lived. By 1845, the family had relocated to Le Havre, Normandy, a move that shifted his environment from the urban center to th…