Rouen Cathedral 1894

This painting is one of the series Claude Monet painted of the Rouen Cathedral. Bathed in a roseate hue, the cathedral's facade is rendered through a tapestry of short brushstrokes. The painting's surface is a complex interplay of light and shadow, where the architecture seems to dissolve into a dance of color. Monet was intensely interested in perception, how the eye interprets light and form. Here, the cathedral is not presented as a solid, immutable structure but as an ever-changing spectacle affected by the atmosphere. Monet challenges our understanding of representation. Rather than a detailed rendering, we are given an impression, a moment captured in time. The structure is less about architectural detail and more about the transient effects of light on surfaces. This series reflects a shift in artistic focus towards capturing the subjective experience of seeing, embracing the ephemeral and unstable nature of perception. The painting invites us to consider how we construct our understanding of the world through fleeting sensory experiences.