We round up the reviews for The Courtauld Gallery’s latest exhibition, on display until the 19th January 2025.
The Guardian: ***** “Monet had one of the most brilliant late periods in the history of art. His water lilies would mourn the first world war’s dead and inspire abstract impressionism. This exhibition makes a strong case that it all started here. It lets you see the moment a great artist became a great modernist. It was the filthy light of London that helped him see beyond the visible.”
The Standard: ***** “It’s interesting to speculate how the critics would have received that exhibition, showing the Thames to London. Now, 120 years on, we get the chance to see much of it for ourselves.”
The Independent: ***** “During Monet’s lifetime, Brits remained unimpressed by the Impressionist painter’s views of London – a remarkable new show at the Courtauld demonstrates how wrong we were.”
iNews: ***** “Second only to Monet’s great triumph is that of the Gallery itself – bringing these paintings together was no small feat, and it will continue to bear fruit as people see them over the coming months. It’s safe to say this will never happen again in our lifetimes – don’t miss it.”
The Telegraph: ***** “Beneath the retina-pleasing gorgeousness, these mysterious, misty views of the River Thames are beguilingly unsweet.”
Time Out: ***** “Seen all together like this, you can trace the time of day across the works, the way light shifts, how the hours pass. It resets your eyes, forcing you to look and look and look. Incredible.”
The FT: “The Courtauld allows us to see the London pictures as pivotal and original. They will brighten the city all winter.”
To find out more about the exhibition visit: https://courtauld.ac.uk/whats-on/exh-monet-and-london-views-of-the-thames/