The artwork titled “Rouen Cathedral Façade and Tour d’Albane (Morning Effect)” was crafted by the renowned Impressionist artist Claude Monet in the year 1894, in Rouen, France. This oil painting is a part of the celebrated Rouen Cathedral series that showcases Monet’s fascination with the effects of light and color on the cathedral’s façade at different times of the day. The dimensions of the artwork measure 106.1 by 73.9 centimeters, and it is categorized within the cityscape genre. Currently, the painting is held within the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
The artwork itself is an exquisite example of the Impressionist movement, capturing fleeting atmospheric conditions with a masterful application of color and light. Monet’s deft brushstrokes build up the surface of the canvas, creating a vibrant, shimmering effect that conveys the essence of the morning light as it plays across the intricate architectural details of the cathedral. A dominant palette of cool tones, particularly blues, articulates the robust form of the Rouen Cathedral, giving it a nearly ethereal presence against the subtlety of the morning sky. Monet’s focus on the ephemeral nature of light serves to transcend the mere representation of the cathedral; instead, the painting evokes the temporal and perceptual experience of the viewer, making the artwork a deeply immersive visual encounter.
