During February–April 1892 and February–March 1893, Monet painted more than thirty views of Rouen Cathedral, most of them of the facade. They were painted from the second stories of 23, place de la Cathédrale (1892) and 81, rue Grand-Pont (1893), but were later finished in the artist's studio at Giverny, where they were worked on together and interrelated as a group. Hence, most are signed and dated 1894, as is the Museum's example, which is one of nine versions painted from the place de la Cathédrale in 1892. Twenty were exhibited as a series at the Durand-Ruel gallery in 1895. They sold rapidly for 15,000 francs each, an unusually high price at that time.

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