Rouen Cathedral 02 1894

Claude Monet made this painting of Rouen Cathedral with oil on canvas. It is one of a series of paintings of the cathedral made in the mid-1890s. Monet chose to paint the cathedral at different times of day to capture how the light changed its appearance. But these paintings are not simply about appearances. Rather, they reflect profound shifts in the role of the artist and the institution of art at the turn of the century. Monet was among the first generation of artists to be supported by commercial galleries. These galleries created a new mass market for art, with exhibitions that drew large crowds. In this context, a series of paintings such as the Rouen Cathedral paintings could be promoted and sold as a set, allowing Monet to achieve unprecedented financial success. Historians use sources such as gallery records and exhibition reviews to learn more about the social and economic conditions in which art is made. By attending to these contexts, we can better understand the role of art in society.