Artwork
The Houses of Parliament, Sunset
The Houses of Parliament, Sunset is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: Claude Monet 1903
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts the Palace of Westminster in London, specifically capturing the Houses of Parliament against a sunset sky.
The work depicts the Palace of Westminster in London, specifically capturing the Houses of Parliament against a sunset sky. As part of a series painted by Claude Monet in 1904, the subject focuses on the architectural silhouette of the building and the atmospheric effects of light and color at dusk. The painting represents Monet's exploration of transient visual phenomena rather than a detailed architectural record, emphasizing the interplay between the solid structure and the shifting hues of the evening atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Claude Monet executed The Houses of Parliament, Sunset in 1904 using oil paint on canvas. The work measures 81.3 cm in height and 92.6 cm in width. As part of his London series, the painting employs the artist's characteristic Impressionist handling, utilizing loose brushwork to capture the atmospheric effects of the sunset reflecting off the Thames and the silhouette of the Palace of Westminster. The medium and support are consistent with Monet's standard practice for his major series during this period.
History & Provenance
The painting was executed by Claude Monet in 1904, as indicated by its inception date. It remained in the artist’s possession until 1904, when Durand‑Ruel of Paris sold it to Edmond Décap. Upon Décap’s death the work passed by inheritance to his son Maurice Barret‑Décap, who kept it in Paris and Biarritz until it was offered at Hôtel Drouot on 12 December 1929 (lot 8).
Chester Dale acquired the canvas at that sale and held it until his death, bequeathing it to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1963.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection as part of the Chester Dale Bequest in 1963.
Its accession number is 1963.10.163. The work was previously in the possession of Durand-Ruel, Paris, before being sold to Edmond Décap in 1904. It descended to Maurice Barret-Décap and was later offered at the Hôtel Drouot sale in Paris on 12 December 1929, where it was purchased by Chester Dale.
The painting has not been recorded in any public exhibitions since its acquisition by the National Gallery of Art.
Overview
The Houses of Parliament, Sunset is an oil on canvas painting by Claude Monet, executed in 1903 during his third and final visit to London. The work depicts the Palace of Westminster silhouetted against a vibrant, atmospheric sky at dusk. Monet captures the Thames River reflecting the intense oranges, pinks, and purples of the setting sun, while the Gothic architecture appears as a dark, almost abstract mass emerging from the mist.
The composition prioritizes the transient effects of light and color over architectural precision, a hallmark of the Impressionist movement. Executed with rapid, visible brushstrokes, the surface texture dissolves solid forms into a shimmering haze, emphasizing the interplay between the river's reflection and the sky. This painting belongs to a celebrated series of approximately one hundred canvases Monet produced of the London Parliament, created to explore how fog and weather conditions alter perception.
The 1903 works represent the culmination of his London period, demonstrating his mature technique in rendering atmospheric depth and the ephemeral quality of natural light.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Oscar-Claude Monet was a French painter and founder of Impressionism who is seen as a key precursor to modernism, especially in his attempts to paint nature as he perceived it.
