Who painted Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset?

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset was painted by Claude Monet in 1904.

Where can I see Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset?

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset?

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset?

Museum-quality prints of Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset

Claude Monet , 1904

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. It dates from 1904 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right: Claude Monet

About this work

Technique & Style

, having been gifted to the institution in 1983 after passing through major European and American dealers and the Paul Mellon collection.

Claude Monet executed Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset in 1904 using oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 65.5 cm in height and 92.7 cm in width. Classified as a landscape painting, the piece exemplifies the artist's Impressionist approach to capturing atmospheric conditions and light effects on the Thames.

While the specific brushwork handling is not detailed in the provided records, the medium and classification align with Monet's series of London views painted during this period. The painting remains in good condition as part of the National Gallery of Art collection in Washington, D.C., having been gifted to the institution in 1983 after passing through major European and American dealers and the Paul Mellon collection.

History & Provenance

Claude Monet executed this oil on canvas in 1904. The work's early ownership history indicates it was purchased directly from the artist in December 1920 by the Parisian firms Durand-Ruel and Bernheim-Jeune. By 1922, the painting had entered the inventory of Durand-Ruel's New York branch.

It subsequently passed through the Sam Salz, Inc. gallery in New York before being sold on November 2, 1960, to collectors Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. The Mellons retained the piece until 1983, at which point they donated it to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection.

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum's holdings in 1983 as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. The Mellons had previously acquired the painting on November 2, 1960, from Sam Salz, Inc. in New York. Prior to this acquisition, the canvas passed through the hands of major dealers Durand-Ruel and Bernheim-Jeune; it was purchased directly from Claude Monet in December 1920 by the Paris branches of these firms, with the New York location of Durand-Ruel holding the work by 1922.

While specific inventory numbers are not provided in the available records, the painting's early history is documented as number 1583 in Daniel Wildenstein's 1996 catalogue raisonné.

Overview

Claude Monet's oil on canvas, Waterloo Bridge, London, at Sunset, captures a specific moment over the River Thames. This painting is one of many in a series where the artist explored the changing light and atmospheric conditions of the city. Here, the setting sun casts a vibrant glow, transforming the industrial structure into a silhouette against the sky.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork depicts London's Waterloo Bridge, not as a detailed architectural study, but as an element within a broader atmospheric scene. Monet was particularly interested in the city's unique weather phenomena, often seeking out moments when fog or industrial smog diffused the light. This approach allowed him to render the bridge as an indistinct form, almost dissolving into the surrounding haze and light.

Waterloo Bridge, London, at Dusk, Claude Monet

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Artist & collection

Artist

Claude Monet

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.