Twenty one paintings of the Thames all by the same - uber-famous - dead artist is not one to engage kids, right? Wrong actually. The Courtauld is one of our favourite galleries in London and its latest show was a surprising hit with the kids we took.
Climb the swirling stone staircase with its electric blue bannisters to the second floor. You walk through the Impressionist display from the permanent collection (awesome) before heading into the temporary exhibition space which gives a nice context.
Monet loved London. And the weather. And most of all the fog. The fog has gone, there is a different Waterloo Bridge (the one he painted was demolished in 1934) and much of the smokey factories on the Southbank are no more. But it is, very recognisably, our city. And this magician of conjuring up light on canvas was at the absolute height of his powers when he executed them, most from his suite at the Savoy, between 1898 and 1901. Grey days, early morning, a small ball of orange sun through the fog, the Houses of Parliament in different hues of pink.
Thirty seven in all were first exhibited in Paris in 1904 to huge acclaim. They were always meant to have come back to London. It has taken 120 years for that to happen, just down the road from where they were created.
Afterwards, make sure you go down to the river and walk along to the back of the Savoy to see what has changed. And what is still the same. Unforgettable.
Monet and the Thames 27 Sept–9 Jan The Courtauld, Somerset House Tickets: £16 adults, U18s free. VERY booked up. Crazy though it seems you need to book now to secure a Christmas holiday treat.
Emily Turner 27 September, 2024
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