The Cathedral in Rouen. The portal, Grey Weather

Claude Monet's paintings are filled with river vapor, city smog, and morning and evening mist. His series of Rouen Cathedral offers more than 30 views of the façade in different lights and different blurs. Rouen Cathedral: The Portal, Grey Weather is one of the more blurry depictions.

In late January or early February 1892, Monet rented rooms across from Rouen cathedral. He remained until spring, painting its looming façade many times, most often as we see it here, close up and cropped to the sides. The next winter he returned to paint the cathedral again, making in all more than 30 views of it. But it was less the carved Gothic façade that was Monet's subject than the atmosphere—the envelope—that surrounded the building. "To me the motif itself is an insignificant factor," Monet said. "What I want to reproduce is what exists between the motif and me."

Here you can learn which other series of paintings were created by Monet.