The following painting is by which artist?

Oscar-Claude Monet (1840 – 1926) was a French painter, a founder of French “Impressionist” painting and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein air landscape painting. Plein air painting is about experiencing painting and drawing outside in the landscape. The term "Impressionism" is derived from the title of his painting "Impression, Sunrise", which was exhibited in 1874.

"The Magpie" was created during the winter of 1868 - 1869 near the commune of Étretat in Normandy. Monet's patron, Louis Joachim Gaudibert, helped arrange a house in Étretat for Monet's girlfriend Camille Doncieux and their newborn son. Between 1867 and 1893, Monet and fellow "Impressionists" Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro painted hundreds of landscapes illustrating the natural effect of snow.

This snow scape came as a result of success with snow scenes by Gustave Courbet. Monet takes the simple theme of a single magpie sitting on the gate for the focus of his piece. The shadows and the light contrast beautifully against the background of trees, ice sky, and snow-covered buildings. There are those that advocate that this is the first "true" Impressionist painting, created five years before the movement was given its name."The Magpie" was acquired by the Musée d'Orsay in 1984.