Houses of Parliament, Fog Effect 1901

Claude Monet conjured this, Houses of Parliament, with oil paints, working with the barest whisper of violets and creams. It's not about the building, it’s about the dissolving atmosphere, and how paint can be this strange, other-worldly substance. Look at that central tower, how it almost dematerializes. Monet uses thin washes, barely-there strokes, creating a surface that feels both solid and ephemeral, like memory itself. It’s about the process, the layering, the blurring of edges. I bet he wasn't trying to copy anything, he was just lost in the doing. This reminds me of Turner, a kindred spirit, obsessed with light and dissolution. But Monet takes it further, embracing ambiguity. This painting isn’t a statement; it’s an invitation to get lost, like wandering in a dream.