The artwork “View of Argenteuil in the Snow” was created by the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet in 1875. Part of the Impressionism art movement, this painting falls within the cityscape genre and captures a wintry scene of the town of Argenteuil, close to Paris, where Monet lived for some years. The painting is expressive of the Impressionists’ interest in capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere.
Describing the work, it presents a snowy landscape of Argenteuil, offering a slice of life from the 19th century. The buildings and trees are coated with snow, and the sky is depicted with soft blue and gentle yellow hues, suggesting a cold, bright winter day. Brushstrokes are loose and rapidly applied, characteristic of the Impressionist style, aimed at conveying the fleeting impressions of color and light. In the foreground, figures are seen on the path, diminished in scale, which enhances the vastness of the environment, and at the same time, adds a human element to the chilly scenery. The attention to natural light and its variations on the landscape can be noticed, a hallmark of Monet’s works. Monet’s signature is visible in the lower left corner of the canvas, confirming his authorship of this serene and atmospheric depiction of the French countryside under a blanket of snow.
