Another subject for Claude Monet paintings was the cathedral in Rouen. As with the other of Monet’s series of work, it is painted at different times of the year, different times of the day and under different lighting conditions. This last, the light, was very important for Monet, as a series of paintings like these for Monet were in essence a study of the effects of light (unlike e.g. Van Gogh who happily painted and repainted Sunflowers under the same conditions). However, painting the cathedral did not come easily. As Monet himself noted about the project, “Things don’t advance very steadily, primarily because each day I discover something I hadn’t seen the day before… In the end, I am trying to do the impossible.”
The Rouen Cathedral series in the end consisted of more than thirty paintings, all completed by Claude Monet in 1892-93. For the purpose of painting this series, Monet during this time setup a temporary studio across the street from the cathedral. In 1985, Monet picked tool his favorite 20 from among the series and exhibited them with his art dealer, resulting in the sale of 8 of the paintings. The series was at this time also praised highly by Pisarro and Cezanne who both visited the exhibition.
Today, as with all great art, the series is mostly spread out across the world. However, at least 6 of the paintings are currently on display at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris or own your very own art reproductions.
