Monet Mania: The Courtauld Unveils Long-Awaited Thames Series

Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.

Monet’s luminous Thames paintings return to London after 120 years in a must-see Courtauld exhibition

Claude Monet’s dream to showcase his luminous Thames paintings in London has taken 120 years to come true, but it’s been worth the wait. The Griffin Catalyst Exhibition: Monet and London. Views of the Thames, now at The Courtauld Gallery, unites his misty masterpieces of the Houses of Parliament, Waterloo Bridge, and Charing Cross Bridge, painted during his visits to the city between 1899 and 1901.

For Monet, the city’s infamous fog wasn’t a nuisance but a muse, transforming London’s landmarks into ethereal visions of light and atmosphere. First exhibited to acclaim in Paris in 1904, these works were meant to follow their triumph with a London show, but the plan fell through. Now, just 300 metres from his old suite at The Savoy Hotel, where many of the works were conceived, the series has finally returned to the city that inspired them.

A Crowd-Pulling Blockbuster

Tickets for this landmark exhibition, running until 19 January 2025, are selling fast, prompting the gallery to extend its hours on select dates, including 25 October, 22 November, 13 December, and 10 January. Evening visitors can enjoy the gallery’s serene atmosphere, with the paintings glowing under careful lighting that echoes the interplay of sun and smog Monet so famously captured.

Adding to the excitement are Courtauld Lates, with live DJs, Monet-inspired cocktails, and a chance to experience the exhibition after hours. The first late-night event sold out almost instantly, with limited walk-up tickets available. The final late-night session on 17 January 2025 is expected to be just as popular.

The exhibition dives deeper into the art and its resonance with modern London. On 16 October, a special event will explore themes of air pollution and art’s role in driving positive change, tying Monet’s fascination with fog to current environmental concerns.

Fans of art history will appreciate exclusive morning views for Courtauld Friends, as well as a treasure trove of Monet-inspired merchandise, including watercolor sets matched to the palette of the Thames series. Earrings glinting like sunlight on water and other bespoke gifts await those keen to take home a piece of Monet’s magic.

Dr. Karen Serres, the exhibition’s curator, calls this series “an installation before its time,” carefully composed by Monet to be experienced as a unified body of work. Professor Mark Hallett, director of The Courtauld, describes the exhibition as “a thrilling new perspective on both the artist and the city.”

Supported by the Griffin Catalyst, this long-overdue tribute to Monet’s London reveals the city as he saw it: a living, breathing canvas of light and transformation.