Waterloo Bridge, London, at Dusk 1904

Claude Monet painted this canvas of the Waterloo Bridge at dusk, using oil paint, of course. What strikes me is how the colors seem to breathe – this hazy blue-green, it’s like London itself is a living, breathing thing. You can almost feel the damp air just looking at it, right? The paint isn't trying to hide itself here. It's not about tricks or perfect illusions. See how you can trace the brushstrokes, like whispers across the canvas? Look at the way the light catches those tiny strokes near the center, suggesting reflections on the water. There's a real honesty to how Monet puts down the paint, a vulnerability even. It reminds me of Turner's landscapes, that same interest in capturing atmosphere and the sublime power of nature. But Monet? He’s doing his own thing, finding his voice in the fog and the light. Art, after all, is just one long, fascinating conversation.