View of Argenteuil in the Snow 1875

Claude Monet painted this image of Argenteuil in the Snow, using oil on canvas. Monet’s choice to depict Argenteuil, a suburb undergoing industrial expansion outside of Paris, reflects the changing landscape of 19th-century France and the expansion of the industrial revolution. The painting captures a moment in time in the lives of ordinary people in a rapidly changing society. Figures with umbrellas trudge down snow-covered paths, dwarfed by the looming factories in the distance. Their posture conveys a sense of weariness, perhaps emblematic of the working class during that period. Monet’s impressionistic technique further conveys this sense of fleeting, personal experience. His light brushstrokes capture the ephemeral quality of the snow and the way it transforms the familiar landscape. The scene invites us to reflect on our own experiences of place, memory and identity.