The Alte Nationalgalerie is showing the three earliest views of Paris by Claude Monet 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 paintings of the modern city under reconstruction. The exhibition will be on display from September 27, 2024 to January 26, 2025.
Image above: Claude Monet, Quai du Louvre, 1867 © Kunstmuseum Den Haag – bequest Mr. and Mrs. G.L.F. Philips-van der Willigen, 1942
Monet’s 1867 series of paintings takes a new artistic look at 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 Germa-in 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.
It is also the last exhibition curated by Ralph Gleis as outgoing director of the Alte Nationalgalerie, supported here by Jo-sephine 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?
Opening: Thursday, September 26, 2024, 7 pm
Exhibition dates: Friday, September 27 – Sunday, January 26, 2025
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm
WHERE?
Alte Nationalgalerie
Bodestr. 1-3
10178 Berlin
