Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926), The Beach at Trouville, c. 1870. Oil on canvas; 22 x 25-5/8 in. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art; The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Collection Fund, 1948.116.
Passport to Paris
Passport to Paris brings together works from the rock stars of the art world—Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and more. This exhibition's trio of shows focuses on French art from the late 1600s to early 1900s and explores changes in art and society during three important centuries in art history.
Revealing how art mirrors society, guests will get a sense of the changes that took place from the time of the powerful and absolute monarchy of Louis XIV to the individualistic café society. The museum also will offer numerous activities that highlight France and the French aesthetic and is thrilled to partner with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra to create an immersive, on-site experience that will beckon visitors back throughout the season.
Included in the fall suite are:
Court to Café: Three Centuries of French Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum
Features 50 masterpieces from the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Conn. The artworks visually unfold the richness of French painting, ranging from the 1600s through the early 1900s and include religious and mythological subjects, portraits, landscapes, still lifes and genre scenes. This exhibition tour is the first time that all of these works have been shown as a group. Artists featured include Nicolas Poussin, François Boucher, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Claude Monet.
Nature as Muse: French Impressionist Landscapes
Displays the stunning work of 19th century Impressionist artists. Focusing on landscape paintings, the exhibition will feature about 36 artworks from a Colorado collector and the DAM’s own holdings. Impressionists focused on a specific time and place and, for the first time, artists could take their easels and paints and work outside, free from the constraints of studio space and light. Artists featured include Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, and Alfred Sisley.
Drawing Room: An Intimate Look at French Drawings from the Esmond Bradley Martin Collection
Inspired by the drawings cabinets of gentlemen and connoisseurs, this exhibition will offer a space where visitors can get close to artworks whose intimate nature invites contemplation and close-up viewing. Comprised of approximately 39 works-on-paper, the exhibition includes a range of techniques from rapid sketches to finished pastels. The artworks represent exquisite examples of draughtsmanship by some of the most celebrated French masters and allow an in-depth look into the creative process of artists. The entire exhibition is drawn from the private collection of Dr. Esmond Bradley Martin. Artists featured include François Boucher, Jacques-Louis David, Théodore Géricault, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Claude Monet, and Alfred Sisley.
Passport to Paris will be on view October 27, 2013–February 9, 2014. A special exhibition ticket will give visitors access to all three exhibitions for a delightful discovery of French art.
Featured in Nature as Muse. Paul Cézanne, A Painter at Work (Un Peintre au Travail), about 1875. Private collection.
Featured in Drawing Room. Antoine Watteau, Standing Woman Holding a Fan, about 1719. Red and black chalk, with graphite, on paper. Lent by Dr. Esmond Bradley Martin.
Passport to Paris exhibition support is provided by the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Court to Café: Three Centuries of French Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum was organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut, and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.