Claude Monet’s "Views of the Thames" exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery is a remarkable celebration, and realisation of the artist’s London series, bringing together 21 of his atmospheric masterpieces. Monet always wished to exhibit this series in London but never managed to achieve it. Now, more than 100 years later his vision is enacted at the Courtauld. These works, painted between 1899 and 1901, depict iconic London landmarks such as Charing Cross Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament shrouded in fog. For Monet, these scenes offered endless inspiration, particularly due to the thick London fog, which he believed created unique lighting effects that could not be found elsewhere. His ability to capture the interplay of light, shadow, and weather became the hallmark of these works. Once again the Courtauld manages to bring together another remarkable body of work by a major artist, that is rarely seen on such an intense level. Books and prints of Monet’s London works don’t do justice to the vibrant, electric, soul-melting beauty of these paintings. Standing in front of them in this exhibition will! Anyone who considers themselves interested in the impressionists should absolutely not miss this exhibition.
Monet is perhaps most famous for his paintings of the French countryside and his garden at Giverny, particularly the Lily pond and it’s bridge. However he was fascinated by London and it’s grand scale and notably by it’s winter fogs and smogs.
Monet first visited London in the late 19th century as a nearly penniless artist, escaping with his family from the Franco-Prussian war. His fascination with London began then, but it was during his later stays at the Savoy Hotel overlooking the Thames that he began his celebrated Thames series. He returned to the city in the winters of 1899, 1900, and 1901 as a wealthy man to paint these views, which are known for their shifting, impressionistic qualities. Monet was deeply intrigued by the ever-changing weather in London, particularly the dense fog, which enveloped the city’s architecture and bridges. His Thames series captures these moments, with the bridges and Parliament dissolving into luminous, glowing forms as the fog swirls around them.
Despite his(by now) great wealth, Monet was known for his attachment to his paintings, often reluctant to part with them. One of the more eccentric habits he maintained throughout his life was his refusal to sell his paintings with their frames. Instead, Monet would sell his pictures as bare canvasses, preferring to keep the frames himself. This practice persisted even after he achieved great financial success, reflecting the deep connection he felt to his art and his reluctance to part with the works in their entirety.
The original exhibition of the Thames paintings in 1904 in Paris was an overwhelming success, solidifying Monet’s reputation as one of the leading figures of Impressionism. However, when he attempted to organise a similar exhibition in London, he faced an unusual problem: he had sold so many of the paintings in Paris that he struggled to get them back for the London show. Collectors were unwilling to lend their purchased works, making it nearly impossible for Monet to curate a full exhibition in the city that inspired the series. This challenge underscored both the popularity of Monet’s work and the strong attachment collectors felt to his luminous depictions of the Thames.
Now, more than a century later, the Courtauld Gallery’s exhibition finally fulfils Monet’s long-held ambition to showcase his London series in the city itself. Located just 300 meters from the Savoy Hotel, where Monet painted many of these works, the exhibition is a fitting tribute to his vision of the Thames. The fog-filled, dreamlike scenes return to the very place they were born, allowing visitors to experience the ethereal beauty of London’s architecture through Monet’s eyes.
The Courtauld Gallery, housed within Somerset House on the Strand, London, will run the "Views of the Thames" exhibition from September 27, 2024, to January 19, 2025. It is a unique opportunity for art lovers and Monet enthusiasts to see these extraordinary works reunited in the city that inspired them.
The Courtauld Institute of Art
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 0RN
Comments