The National Gallery is proving that the best things come in pairs
Monet and Renoir are going head-to-head this summer at the National Gallery. The artists painted side by side at La Grenouillère in the summer of 1869. Same river, same afternoon, two completely different pictures. Now, the paintings are back in the same room for the first time in nearly twenty years with Monet and Renoir: Painting Side by Side.
Call it Impressionism’s answer to any great double act: two friends who couldn’t help competing, both convinced they’d nailed the scene, both right. And the fun is in spotting exactly where they diverge. Compare each brushstroke, consider the artists’ individual styles and witness a close friendship that helped shape one of the most influential movements in Western art.
The special pairing is a preview to the blockbuster ‘Renoir and Love’ exhibition coming to the National Gallery in October.
Key Information
Dates | Mon 27th July – Tues 15th September 2026
Address | National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
For more information | nationalgallery.org.uk
