The painting A Walk near Argenteuil (1875) is a significant work that is also worthy of consideration in this context, This representative of an early stage in Monet's progress toward the anniversary painting at the Staatsgallerie presents a family walking toward the viewer on a windy spring day. Each of the figures is a separate, autonomous element. This provided the artist a means of imbuing the landscape with rhythm of a type he would continue to employ for some time. Although the landscape is enveloped in shadow, Monet painted a luminous, radiant sky accented by magnificent shades of white, conveying the impression of a fresh, new day that is just perfect for a walk.

Compared to those in later works, the figures appear not only large and close, but also relatively concrete. The composition and the flocky painting style are similar to those in an earlier painting (Meadow with Poplars, 1875) from Boston, which presents a related scene close by, A splendid array of flowers appears next to the shaded path surrounded by dense vegetation that leads straight into the depth along the embankment on the left. This colorful, shimmering area is bordered on one side by the horizontal lines of the field, which has a calming effect, as does the dark band of trees and bushes to the rear. Above it is a fireworks in the sky composed of small cloud formations torn apart by the wind. This is the brightest park of the scene. Corresponding accents of light are visible on the woman’s hat in the red of the poppies, but they remain integrated within the general shade of the landscape.