Charing Cross Bridge, Cleopatra's Needle 1901

Monet made this hazy vision of London with oil paint, blurring the boundaries between water and sky, structure and reflection. I can imagine him standing there, trying to capture not just what he sees, but the very act of seeing itself. All those lilacs, blues, and ochres feel atmospheric. Look closely, and you’ll notice how the thick strokes build up a shimmering surface, like light dancing on water. That dark, vertical mark of Cleopatra’s Needle slicing through the center, it’s so bold and simple! It gives the whole painting a kind of anchor, but also a challenge. How do you make something solid out of something so fleeting? Monet’s work is a reminder that painting isn’t about perfect representation, it’s about feeling, about responding to the world with every brushstroke. He's in conversation with painters now, and we, as viewers, are lucky to join in.