As the temperatures dip and the nights draw in, the rallying cry of the wind-chilled Brit rings out more and more frequently across the capital.
For artists, the riotous oranges of autumn leaves may be gone, but icy wastelands, snow-covered cities and the warm glow of Christmas mean winter can muster up just as much artistic inspiration.
From bleak, unforgiving landscapes to scenes of festive fun, these are the wintry paintings in London galleries that’ll have you reaching for mittens and mince pies.
Snow scene at Argenteuil, Claude Monet, 1875, National Gallery
You’re probably more familiar with Monet’s lush springlike scenes, peppered with waterlilies and dappled sunlight. The winter of 1874, however, brought unprecedented amounts of snow to Monet’s home town of Argenteuil. That year, the Impressionist artist captured a total of 18 scenes depicting the town covered in snow, a contrast to its reputation as a haven for Parisian summer day-trippers.
Winter Landscape, Caspar David Friedrich, probably 1811, National Gallery
Snowy landscapes aren’t all idyllic wonderlands – they can be some of the most dangerous on the planet. This painting by Swedish artist Caspar David Friedrich shows a man who has abandoned his much-needed crutches, seemingly giving up on his arduous journey through the snow to pray for salvation by a crucifix. A cathedral rises from the haze in the distance, but this is likely to be a mirage.
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, Alexander ('Alick') Penrose Forbes Ritchie, 1907, National Portrait Gallery
One man who knew the dangers of icy conditions all too well was Ernest Shackleton. The Irish polar explorer lead three Antarctic expeditions in the early 1900s, and was in the race to be the first man to reach the South Pole. After he miraculously survived the crushing of his ship (ironically called Endurance) by packed ice, his final expedition ended in tragedy when Shackleton died of a heart attack. This portrait was made at the height of his career, and shows him bracing the Antarctic landscape.
The Louvre under Snow, Camille Pissarro, 1902, National Gallery
Even some of the most famous buildings in the world can be rendered unrecognisable by a covering of snow. This painting was made by Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro looking out from the window (very wise) of his Paris apartment on the Ile-de-la-Cité, an island on the Seine. Over the other side of the river we can see the world famous art gallery, the Louvre, sprinkled with snow and obscured by frosty flurries.
Road in the Village of Baldersbrønde (Winter Day), Laurits Andersen Ring, 1912, National Gallery
Snowy afternoons are not uncommon on the Danish island of Zealand. Laurits Andersen Ring captures one here with acute familiarity, this painting of his home village filled with precise depictions of bare trees and even barer roads. Ring became famed for his austere scenes which put an unflinching eye on northern European landscapes.
Choir Singing on Christmas Day, Louisa Anne Beresford, 1887, National Portrait Gallery
The two best things about winter are getting indoors and Christmas. This painting has all of the above: a glowing candle lighting a huddled choir who carol their way through Christmas day under those much-sung-about boughs of holly. The watercolour scene was painted on December 25 1887, but has such a timeless quality could quite easily be from any of the 120 years since.
Winter Scene with a Man Killing a Pig, David Teniers the Younger, Dulwich Picture Gallery
This painting by Flemish artist David Teniers the Younger mixes festive fun with the hard facts of life. In the background of the painting, children play out on the ice, while in the foreground the peasant villagers have just killed a pig. In the winter season, nothing can afford to be wasted, so a man prepares to slit the pig’s throat while a woman is poised to collect its blood.
The Diligence in the Snow, Gustave Courbet, 1860, National Gallery
This diligence – a name for a type of 19th century coach – has overturned while it traverses a snow-covered landscape. The coach has sunk in powdery snow, and Courbet shows horses, cattle and four human figures struggling to free themselves from the ice. Behind them, cabins also appear to be partly submerged, suggesting the scene takes place in the aftermath of a snowstorm.
Christmas in the Alps, Donald McLeish, 1913, National Portrait Gallery
Snow isn’t all danger and doom – for many, it can be just a bit of fun. These children, snapped by British photographer Donald McLeish in 1913, certainly seem to be enjoying some seasonal shenanigans. The pair are pictured frolicking in the powdery snow in the Alps, falling gleefully off and around a wooden sled. Rolling around on the floor, they are probably wet and cold, but neither child seems to care in the slightest.
