Fog, Smog, And Magical Pastel Hues – Monet's London To Finally Exhibit In The City After 120 Years

Thankfully, the heavy industrial version of London was a fleeting glimpse in the history of the world-famous capital. The pollution and environmental damage became intolerable, and legislation trickled through that curbed new growth in favour of commercial centres instead. There is a sense of romanticism when we think of the past, and it requires unaffected eyes to truly capture the poetic beauty of times gone by. No doubt hard and miserable for many at the time, the setting of the scene with its aesthetic and atmosphere can become a truly magnificent backdrop for emotional and dramatic exploration. Sometimes, society produced a person who can see through the dark and satanic mills and witness the natural beauty of whatever it is we have created. Like those people who admire brutalist architecture, the French impressionist Claude Monet saw the fascinating allure of the man-made weather that still affects our climate to this day.  
 
Born in 1840, eight years before the third French Revolution, Monet grew up in relative tranquillity in Normandy. He spent a lot of his childhood outside where we would draw things he noticed. His mother was influential in his art career, encouraging him to express himself with his work. His father instilled a sense of business in his son who he wished would begin a business rather than paint scenery. It is possibly the combination of both of these influences that enabled Claude Monet to become a highly successful and popular painter responsible for beginning a brand –new trend in the scene. The Impressionist Movement is based on perception and interpretation. Rather than portraying beautifully accurate and scientifically relevant works, which began to be popular during the Enlightenment Period, the theme draws a lot more on atmosphere, feel, and the lens of the human mind. French Impressionism is a subset of this genre, unique to France and with thematic similarities found nowhere else. It is known for its spontaneity and mostly outdoor settings. Rather than a planned piece, French Impressionism was done on the spot, due to a sudden burst of passion to paint. Je dois peindre. 
 
When Claude Monet visited London at the turn of the 20th Century, he was immediately struck by the colours of the sky. What he called fog, which was more likely thick smog, hung about the River Thames like a ghost and as the sun shined through its vapours, it radiated in pale rainbow hues. Enamoured by the sight and captivated by the colours, the French Impressionist began to capture the scene. Taking preliminary pictures from the area, he was able to finalise a series of 21 stunning and vivid images back at home from his memory. A truly unique and time-specific capture of the geography and cultural backdrop, the River Thames was portrayed in such a way that had never been seen before. Perhaps a foreign eye was needed to see the glory within the painful story experienced at the time by those who lived there. Upon completion, the works were shown in a Paris gallery during 1904, where the contrasts between the Parisian cotton heavy industry were compared to London’s maritime and manufacturing setting. Iconic landmarks such as The Houses of Parliament and Waterloo Bridge took prominence among the hazy and ethereal tones offered by the refractive and opaque air. Monet was looking forward to displaying his works in London, however the circumstances never aligned for him. He was noted for saying London and England were hard to paint, and very interesting.  
 
Now, in a long-time-overdue culmination of culture, the series of paintings are finally going to be displayed in the city they were made in. A uniquely valuable spot at the University of London’s Courtauld Institute of Art is reserved for Monet’s Thames from 27th of September until January 19th. Founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, the self-governing college specialises in art history and preservation. It seems an ideal setting to keep the ghost of the big smoke alive in all its Impressionist garb. Maybe now we can forgive those early industrialists who may have irreparably damaged our environment, and whose estates were mostly destroyed by bombs, as we have learned what we can from them and their mistakes. 
 
Maybe this year is a good year to get out and do a bit of French Impressionism for yourself. Why not take a bag of art materials on a little walk and see what leaps out and onto your page?  Browse paper, paints, and more, supporting Alternative Fruit along the way.  
 
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