The artwork “The Stream of Robec at Rouen” is an oil on canvas painting by the renowned artist Claude Monet, dated to the year 1872. This piece exemplifies the Impressionist movement, and it measures 65 by 50 centimeters. Monet’s work is a cityscape depicting a vivid urban scene.
In the artwork, Monet captures a glance of daily life by the Robec stream in the heart of Rouen. The painting is suffused with the soft, natural light characteristic of Impressionist works, which gives life to the flowing water and reflects off the structures. The skyline is punctuated by factory smokestacks that emit plumes of smoke, a testament to the industrial activity of the era. Buildings line the edges of the canvas, with the architecture rendered in a somewhat loose, yet confident brushwork, conveying the transient effects of light and shadow. A few figures can be seen going about their business, adding to the sense of place and moment. The dappled sky, infused with light blues and white, provides a delicate backdrop to the browns, oranges, and greys that dominate the cityscape. Through Monet’s brushstrokes, the scene conveys a sense of immediacy, a fleeting impression of the urban environment.
