The Alte Nationalgalerie is presenting Claude Monet’s three earliest views of Paris from 1867. It is the first exhibition of the series in Europe since its creation. The works are considered to be the first Impressionist city views and inspired artists such as Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894) and Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) to create their own pictures of the modern city under reconstruction.
Image about: Claude Monet, Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, 1867, Öl auf Leinwand Copyright: Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin / Jörg P. Anders
Monet’s 1867 series of paintings cast a new artistic eye on the modern city. The artist did not visit the famous Louvre to copy the works of the Old Masters, as was customary, but painted the vibrant life of Paris from the balcony. Monet thus literally turned his back on art-historical tradition and focused on the present of the growing metropolis. The result is three remarkable views of the city, showing the view of “Saint Germain l’Auxerrois”, the “Jardin de l’Infante” and the “Quai du Louvre”. Today, the works are in the collection of the National Gallery, the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College (Ohio, USA) and the Kunstmuseum Den Haag. A cooperation between the three museums enables the joint exhibition of the important paintings.
Based on these three works, the exhibition traces the rediscovery of the city as a motif by Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists in the wake of Monet (1840-1926) through to Maximilien Luce (1858-1941) and Henri Matisse (1869-1954). The concentrated exhibition on the Impressionist cityscape includes around 20 works of painting, photography and graphic art.
About the organizers
It is also the last exhibition curated by Ralph Gleis as outgoing director of the Alte Nationalgalerie, supported here by Josephine Hein as curatorial assistant. The exhibition is accompanied by an extensively illustrated catalog published by Hirmer Verlag, edited by Ralph Gleis and Josephine Hein in German and English.
The exhibition is made possible by the Friends of the National Gallery.
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Friday, 27.September 2024 – Sunday, 26.Januar 2025
Opening: Thursday, 26. September 2024, 7pm
Opening hours: Tuesday– Sunday, 10am – 6pm
WHERE?
Alte Nationalgalerie
Museumsinsel Berlin
Bodestr. 1-3
10178 Berlin
