Monet In London: Places Where His Works Are Exhibited

Some of his best works were made by Monet in London. The French painter was on several occasions in the British capital and there he made some key canvases in the evolution of his impressionist art. In fact, the city fascinated him and he returned several times throughout his life. Perhaps for this reason, two of the main London museums have some of his paintings.

Monet in London: his first trip

The first time that Monet was in London was in 1871. And he did not arrive for pleasure, but fleeing the war, since his country had entered the Franco-Prussian war. So when Paris was under siege, he did not hesitate and decided to flee with his wife and son to London.

Although he didn’t know it, he was going to spend a few months there, first staying near Leicester Square and later in Kesington. The truth is that it was going to be a very fruitful period, painting numerous views of the monuments and urban landscapes of the British capital.

It was a very different place from that of his beloved French light, which he painted so much in places on the banks of the Seine. However, the foggy atmosphere typical of London ended up enthusing him, providing inspiration for novel pictorial effects.

And also, during the stay there, he established a more lasting friendship with another of the emigrated painters, Camille Pissarro. To the east we can also consider him one of the fathers of Impressionist art. For this reason, Monet’s stay in London was to be fundamental in his life and work.

Monet in London: next trips

However, once peace came to France, he returned to his country. But his love for the English metropolis and all its charms was going to be forever. In fact, and like so many travelers do today, he too promised to return to London. And he kept his promise, although he had to wait almost three decades for it.

Up to three different occasions, between the years 1899 and 1901, Monet was in London. He made trips that lasted several weeks and during which he settled in one of London’s finest lodgings, the Savoy Hotel. A place from which he even made some views of the city.

Monet in the great museums of London

It is estimated that while Monet was in London, between all his travels, he was able to paint up to 100 works. Although, some would be mere sketches, others he destroyed them and many he did not finish here. In fact, he took them in more or less advanced sketches that he later finished in his French study.

Perhaps that is why, despite what we may think, the great London museums currently do not have too many of his works. Let’s see it in more detail:

National Gallery

The National Gallery, located in Trafalgar Square, never disappoints, even if we are talking about being able to see Monet’s works in London. Of course it does, and also of great quality. We could cite several, but we are going to stay with two emblematic paintings by Monet.

First, his view of the Thames under Parliament. It is one of the masterpieces that Monet made in London and that ended up in the best art gallery in Great Britain. It is a painting that he made during his first trip.

And, secondly, we want to highlight the Saint Lazarus Station in Paris. It is a later work of which he made several versions trying to capture all its effects of light and steam.

The Tate Gallery

Both the Tate and the National are national museums, and both are free to visit. In fact, between the two they exhibit the same collection of art from the British people. But the difference is that the Tate has a place for works made after 1900. For this reason, it is there that some Monet paintings made in the 20th century are exhibited.

They are not paintings that Monet made in London, but they are acquisitions that the museum has made. One is the elegant Álamos on the banks of the Epte , with a riot of blues and a very unique perspective. And another is one of the many images that he made of the Water Lilies that he had in the pond of his house and that were almost an artistic obsession in his last years of his life.

Bonus: Monet in the Courtauld Collection

Other works by Monet are in the hands of private collections in London, but they are not always accessible to the general public. Instead, some of those collections have their own museums. This is the case of the fantastic Courtauld Collection, which has  a work by Monet: Autumn Effect in Argenteuil, from 1873. But the headquarters of this collection are undergoing renovations and will not open until 2021.