Houses of Parliament, Sunset 1904

Claude Monet painted *Houses of Parliament, Sunset* with oil on canvas, and I can only imagine what it was like to stand where he stood. He layers warm oranges and reds that dance across the sky and reflect in the water below, while the Houses of Parliament loom in silhouette against the horizon. I bet he was trying to capture a fleeting moment, the way light transforms familiar scenes into something magical. I bet he was thinking about Turner, too, whose atmospheric landscapes paved the way for painters like Monet. You can almost feel the cool air and hear the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. It's like Monet is inviting us to pause, breathe, and appreciate the beauty of the everyday. And that's what painting is all about, right? Seeing the world anew and sharing that vision with others.