A friend and I spent a few hours at The Cortauld to see the Monet and London. Views of the Thames exhibition. While I’ve explored various parts of Somerset House before, I realized this was my first time stepping into The Courtauld itself. What a gem of a building! A couple of the rooms had stunning ceilings that I found just as captivating as the art on display.

The Monet exhibition was fascinating. Some of the pieces were familiar, though I’d never seen them in person, while others were entirely new to me. What stood out was the repetition of three main scenes—Waterloo Bridge, Charing Cross Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament—across the 21 paintings. Despite the similar subjects, each one was distinct, capturing different qualities of light and atmospheric conditions. Titles like ‘Waterloo Bridge, Overcast Weather’, ‘Waterloo Bridge, Effect of Sunlight in the Fog’, and ‘London. The Houses of Parliament. Shaft of Sunlight in the Fog’ hinted at the subtle but striking variations.

We took a moment to sit in the center of the room, letting the artworks speak for themselves around the bustle of visitors. From a distance, the paintings had a surprising texture and depth that became even more engaging. It was a truly enjoyable exhibition in a gallery that I’ll definitely be returning to.