Charing Cross Bridge, Cleopatra's Needle 1901

Claude Monet made "Charing Cross Bridge, Cleopatra's Needle" with oil on canvas, and just look at that haze of purples, blues, and golds! Monet lays down his marks, not to describe exactly what he sees, but to give you a sense of the air, the mood, the very feeling of being there. Up close, you can see how the paint is applied in these quick, broken strokes. It's like he’s trying to catch the light as it dances on the water and reflects off the bridge. The surface is alive with texture, a kind of built-up energy that makes the whole scene vibrate. Check out the way he renders Cleopatra's Needle – that dark, almost ghostly obelisk rising from the water. It’s not just a shape, but a presence, anchoring the whole composition. Monet was obsessed with capturing these fleeting moments, and you see him exploring similar themes throughout his career, like with the water lilies. Maybe you could even think of Turner as a kindred spirit, with his love of light and atmosphere, but Monet brings such a fresh, modern sensibility to it all. It's a reminder that art is about seeing, feeling, and never quite settling on one definitive answer.