Houses of Parliament series

The Palace of Westminster was the subject of a series of paintings by French impressionist Claude Monet. He painted the home of the British parliament while staying in London. The whole series was painted between 1900 – 1904.

The paintings all share the same size and share a common viewpoint, namely Monet’s window at St. Thomas Hospital which overlooked the Thames. However, as was common in Monet’s serial works, the paintings were done under different lighting conditions, seasons and in different weather. Especially the lighting conditions we essential as these works are very much a study in the effects of light and how to depict it.

As opposed to earlier works, Monet had at this time stopped his previous practice of completing the work in front of the paintings subject. Instead, he would bring the paintings back for refinement in France, helped by fresh photographs from the London site. While he received some critique for this, he deemed it his own business how he decided to work. The final result, according to Monet, would be judged by the viewer.

The majority of the different works in the Houses of Parliament series can today be found in museums across Europe and the United States as well as many oil painting reproductions of these works.