Houses of Parliament, Sunset 02 1904

Curator: This evocative canvas is one of Claude Monet's "Houses of Parliament" series, specifically, "Houses of Parliament, Sunset 02" created in 1904. Editor: Immediately, the gloominess strikes me, yet also something grand about the architectural form emerging from that somber wash of colour. Curator: The series emerged from Monet's extended stays in London where, from his vantage point overlooking the Thames, he captured the building under different light conditions, at varying times. Editor: Interesting, because this almost feels like a painting *about* light’s absence. The Houses of Parliament loom as a shadowy, almost threatening silhouette, dominating the skyline. The water reflects just enough of the golden sky to give an illusion of light, but the whole thing reads like the fading of an era. What about that from a historical lens? Curator: What’s intriguing to me is that Monet chooses not to depict the dynamism of London itself, as a burgeoning empire—instead he obscures its literal shape. His repeated images certainly emphasize the subjective nature of vision, particularly important when we consider the rise of industrial England at the turn of the century. Smoke pollution became a way of seeing, a visible signifier for urban life in all of its promise, and ugliness. Editor: Yes, the social implications! As our eyes adjust, a little sun burns into existence. Given that, the Houses of Parliament become less stern. You mentioned this being one of many - does the complete series carry the same tone of sociopolitical foreboding? Curator: Many others depict far more varied light and weather, so this one carries particular weight with its specific mood. It invites us to reflect on power structures then and now, as governments must reckon with transparency, pollution and global health—to be sure. Editor: Absolutely, the beauty of Monet’s work—he challenges the observer to acknowledge change, in light, and societal consciousness.