Japanese prints: Monet was a renowned fan of Japanese artwork and the immense collection, which currently resides in his Giverny home, is testament to this. Such works are all appropriately titled to reflect what Monet was painting. After the Houses of Parliament Monet painted a multitude of similar works that depicted similar scenes at different times of day. In his series the building is a static darkened structure that changes in appearance, in fog or sunlight. For such a purpose the Houses of Parliament serve as a perfect backdrop. The purpose of Monet's pieces was to accurately depict the change in look of a static object in relation to drastic weather conditions. It's though that Monet perfected these works back in Paris and regularly asked for photographs from London in order to facilitate this. Due to his shortened stay in London modern day critics believe that he finished his works away from the motif at a later date. In addition to the Houses of Parliament, Monet was able to paint Waterloo Bridge and Charing Cross Bridge. The inspirational view for many of Monet's pieces is said to have been from the sixth floor of the Savoy hotel, from which he was able to depict many of the Thames landmark structures. It is the fog that gives it its magnificent breadth". Monet once famously said about London that: "Without fog, London would not be a beautiful city.
Known for its fog during the winter, Monet specifically painted the Thames at this time of day in order to depict its weather effects in full magnanimous detail. Monet's efforts to paint in London were said to have constantly hampered by bad weather and constantly changing conditions. Monet's principle advisors and friends were ex pat Americans, John Singer Sargent and James McNeill Whistler and both acted as his translators and guides. Their style clearly had an impact on Monet and he heavily relied on their guidance in a country he knew little about.
In the few years Monet was there, he painted some of his most picturesque work and befriended some of the legends from the Realist era. Claude Monet's first-born son, Jean was only two when Monet made the decision to move his young family from harm's way. Monet was 30 when he moved to England with his family to protect them from the raging war between France and Prussia from 1870-1871. In addition to this, Monet came into contact with a number of high profile Realist artists who were his friends and had a great deal of influence in equal measure. Monet's love of London was clear from his dedication to the river Thames and his study encompassed a great deal of works of the river. The painting shows an early turn to series painting, a form which Monet heavily favored towards the end of his career. Monet and his family were in London, seeking refuge from the Franco-Prussian war which had engulfed much of France. Impressionist leader Claude Monet completed the Houses of Parliament as a series of paintings intended to study the monument at different times of day.