Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect 1902

Claude Monet conjured this version of Waterloo Bridge with oil on canvas. Look how Monet applies paint in short, broken strokes, a technique that’s all about capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. It’s like he’s painting the air itself, not just the bridge. The surface is alive with texture, an accumulation of countless touches of the brush. Notice the way the light seems to dissolve the forms, blurring the edges of the bridge and the boats on the water. It's not about precision; it's about feeling. There’s a hazy, dreamlike quality to the scene. The yellow tonality is so immersive that it feels like you could almost step into the canvas and be enveloped by the London fog. You might think of Turner. Both were fascinated by light. But where Turner went for drama, Monet seeks something more intimate, more immediate. It reminds us that painting isn’t just about seeing, it’s about sensing, feeling, and experiencing the world in all its ephemeral beauty.