Lavacourt under Snow
- Artist: Claude Monet
- Date: about 1878-81
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "Lavacourt under Snow" by Claude Monet. Painted in the early 1880s, it's one of a series of works that explore the effects of sunlight on snow and ice. Monet lived in Vétheuil at the time, on the opposite side of the river from the tiny hamlet of Lavacourt. He was fascinated by the way the landscape changed during the harsh winter of 1879/80, when the Seine froze over.
Look at how the snow is depicted here - broad sweeps of white overlain with blues, creating a sense of depth and shadow. The cold tones on this side of the river contrast with the warm pink light on the opposite bank, where the sun is shining. It's a beautifully simple yet structured composition, with the diagonal line of houses and trees guiding your eye across the frozen Seine.
Monet was known to paint outdoors, braving the elements to capture these fleeting effects of light and weather. This painting is an excellent example of his innovative approach to landscape painting.
See it in person
Lavacourt under Snow hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
