Houses of Parliament in Winter 1903

Claude Monet painted *Houses of Parliament in Winter* using oil on canvas to capture a scene in London. The colours in this piece are muted, with blues and pinks softly blended. Up close, the surface reveals Monet's brushstrokes, each dab a record of his observation. The paint is applied thinly, allowing the canvas to breathe. Look at how the reflections on the water are rendered with small strokes of pink and orange, mirroring the sky. The buildings themselves are almost spectral, rendered in layers of blue. Monet's series of paintings of the Houses of Parliament shows his ongoing interest in capturing a moment, a feeling, more than a literal representation. I'm reminded of Turner, in his obsession with light and atmosphere. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, each artist building on what came before, always open to new interpretations.