Monet's London

I stopped by the Baltimore Museum of Art on my walk home from work this evening to check out the new feature exhibit. Monet's London is the first US viewing for many of the 24 Monet paintings in the show, which captures the artist's reflections on the Thames from 1859-1914. The exhibit also features over 100 oils, watercolors, etches, engravings and photographs by Monet's contemporaries.

While away from his Giverny home working on his London canvases, Monet stayed at the Savoy Hotel, from which he had excellent views of the Waterloo and Charing Cross bridges. He also secured special permission to paint from the opposite side of the river, by the St. Thomas Hospital. Monet often painted in the morning, capturing Parliament in the hazy fog and breaks of sun along the river. While Monet chose to focus on the silhouettes of the bridges and buildings along the banks, other artists at the turn of the century were drawn to the pulse of the river — the sailing barges, watermen and activity along the docklands.

Illustrator and Philadelphia native Joseph Pennell called London "the most etchable place in the world"; writer William Blanchard Jerrold named the Thames "The Silent Highway" in his book, London: A Pilgrimage; and painter Childe Hassam, in his book "Three Cities", said that "...a portrait of a city is like a portrait of a person." Pieces by all three are also a part of the exhibit, which runs through December 31. If you're planning a visit, the BMA has Free First Thursdays and Extended Hours on Fridays after Five.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events