“The Magpie” is an oil on canvas masterpiece by Claude Monet, painted between 1868 and 1869. It depicts a sun-drenched winter landscape in Normandy, focusing on a snow-covered wattle fence and a wooden gate. There is a solitary black magpie on the gate, who gave this painting its name. Also, it creates a sharp contrast against the brilliant, glowing whites of the winter landscape. Instead of using black or gray for shadows, Monet painted them in vibrant blues and violets to capture how snow actually reflects light. That shocked the audiences of the time, as something never seen before. Today, this revolutionary work is proudly displayed at Orsay Museum in Paris, France.