Rouen Cathedral

About the Artist:
Claude Monet (1840–1926), the leading figure of French Impressionism, revolutionized modern painting with his pursuit of light, color, and atmosphere. Preferring to paint outdoors, Monet captured fleeting impressions of natural and architectural subjects, creating works that reveal the ever-changing qualities of perception. His series paintings—devoted to haystacks, water lilies, and cathedrals—stand as some of the most influential achievements in art history.

About the Artwork:
Painted in 1894, Rouen Cathedral, West Façade is part of Monet’s celebrated Rouen Cathedral Series, in which he painted the cathedral’s front at different times of day and under shifting light conditions. In this version, the façade is bathed in glowing tones, its Gothic architecture dissolved into flickering brushstrokes of color. Rather than focusing on structural accuracy, Monet transforms the cathedral into a living surface of light and shadow, turning stone into a shimmering vision of atmosphere and time.

Why We Selected It:
We chose this work because it exemplifies Monet’s genius for turning the permanence of architecture into something transient and poetic. The painting carries both historical gravitas and a radiant, modern freshness, making it an exceptional choice for interiors that seek elegance, cultural depth, and timeless beauty. It is a masterpiece that bridges the monumental with the ephemeral—an icon of Impressionism at its most profound.