Observing the River Thames through the eyes of Monet

We continue crossing the Charing Cross Bridge, heading towards St Thomas’ Hospital.

Monet was used to climbing up on the roof of the hospital so to enjoy a magnificent view of Westminister and paint the famous series “Houses of Parliament”.

These paintings, now housed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, depict London’s landscape immersed in fog, with the outlines of the buildings barely discernible.

All of the series’ paintings share the same viewpoint from Monet’s window or a terrace at St Thomas’ Hospital overlooking the Thames River.

Monet concentrates impressions (elaborate manifestations of monumental afflatus) into abstract colour interweavings. The architectural motif no longer articulates space, like the boats and bridges of the earlier paintings, but subdivides it into a few extended surfaces. Architecture, water and sky become projection surfaces for an undulating chromatic veil and are just as concrete as the light of fog. He also uses the famous Impressionist technique: “en plein air” in which the painting is made outdoors with the help of the sun to portray shadows.

Claude Monet was the most convinced and tireless advocate of the “Impressionist method” which he saw already summarised in the works of his friend Manet.

After his last stay in London, Claud Monet’s travels took him to Norway and Italy, where he captured other beautiful landscapes in light and shadow. 

In June 1926, the French artist was diagnosed with lung cancer and died on December 5. Claude-Oscar Monet was buried in Giverny, France, with the entire population of the town attending the funeral.

Today, thanks to his artistic streak, we can savour these views again and uniquely enjoy London through Monet’s eyes.