Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect by Claude Monet - c. 1900 - 73.82 × 98.11 cm Milwaukee Art Museum Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect by Claude Monet - c. 1900 - 73.82 × 98.11 cm Milwaukee Art Museum

Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect

Oil on canvas • 73.82 × 98.11 cm
  • Claude Monet - 14 November 1840 - 5 December 1926 Claude Monet c. 1900

Widely regarded as the leader of the Impressionist movement, Claude Monet is celebrated as one of the most original and influential painters of the 19th century.

Claude Monet visited London several times between 1870 and 1901, drawn by the city's foggy atmosphere, which fascinated him for its ability to diffuse light and soften forms. During these stays, he famously painted a series of works depicting iconic landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Waterloo Bridge, and Charing Cross Bridge. Monet’s time in London allowed him to explore his fascination with changing light and weather conditions, solidifying his reputation as a master of atmospheric effects. 

This painting is one of many landscapes and outdoor scenes Claude Monet created to capture the fleeting effects of light and color under different atmospheric conditions. In his later career, Monet often focused on a single motif, such as the bridge in this work, producing a series of paintings centered around the same subject. In 1895, Monet remarked, “The motif is important to me: what I want to reproduce is what lies between the motif and myself.”

P.S. If you want to learn more about Monet, you should definitely enroll in our French Impressionism Mega Online Course; you will find there everything you need to know about this genre, from anecdotes to context about the epoch and biographical information.

P.P.S. Did you know Monet loved to draw caricatures? Here are 10 thing you didn't know about Claude Monet! For more on this artist, see the articles below.