Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exhibition, Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances, opens to the public

H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Louvre Abu Dhabi, inaugurated the museum’s latest exhibition, Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances. The all-new exhibition opens to the public on October 16, 2024 and will run until February 9, 2025. Organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi in partnership with Musée d’Orsay and France Muséums , the exhibition features masterpieces by visionary artists including Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat, Henri-Edmond Cross, Emile Bernard, Paul Sérusier, Paul Gauguin et Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which defined the Post-Impressionist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Curated by Jean-Rémi Touzet, Curator of Painting at Musée d’Orsay, and Jérôme Farigoule, Chief Curator at Louvre Abu Dhabi, with the support of Aisha Alahmadi, Curatorial Assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Estelle Bégué and Fanny Matz, Scientific Documentalists for Paintings at Musée d’Orsay, the exhibition will display around 100 artworks including paintings, works on paper, and textile from nine museums and cultural institutions. The exhibition is sponsored by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and supported by L’Officiel Arabia as media partner.

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “In the wake of our exceptional exhibition with Musée d’Orsay, Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity, in 2022, we collaborated again to present Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances. The exhibition, whose colourful scenography echoes the artists’ palettes, allows visitors to discover and rediscover a period whose key words are innovation and a quest for openness, qualities that resonate with the blossoming artistic sector in the region, while fulfilling Louvre Abu Dhabi’s mission of presenting key moments in the history of art. Our sincere thanks to Musée d’Orsay, the exhibition curators, all the lenders and the sponsors for bringing to life what promises to be an exceptional exhibition.”

Dr. Guilhem André, Scientific, Curatorial and Collection Management Director, said: “From the refined Neo-Impressionist compositions of Henri-Edmond Cross to the structured rhythms of Paul Cézanne, the technical brilliance of Paul Gauguin, the expressive brushwork of Vincent Van Gogh, and the vibrant palette of Maurice Denis, Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances showcases significant masterpieces of the Post-Impressionist period. While each artist presents a distinct approach to the movement, the exhibition thoughtfully celebrates both their individual artistic expressions and the underlying connections that unify this transformative era in art history.” “The definition of Post-Impressionism, coined in 1910, forged connections that went beyond the European artists. Including painters such as Georges Hanna Sabbagh, the last section of the exhibition exemplifies the true influence of the movement and the depth of the network it fostered. The exhibition narrative reflects the museum’s commitment to broadening the art history canon,” he added.

The exhibition curators Jean-Rémi Touzet and Jérôme Farigoule said: “In the last two decades of the 19th century, a young generation invented new ways of painting—the delicate stippling of Georges Seurat, the dazzling flat tints of Paul Gauguin, and the energetic impastos of Vincent van Gogh. Thanks to the exceptional masterpieces on loan from the Musée d'Orsay, the exhibition will show how, in opposition to academicism and drawing on the Impressionist model, a heterogeneous constellation of artists reinvented the conception of painting and art as a whole, culminating at the start of the 20th century in the assertion of abstract art, beyond appearances.”

Highlights of the paintings on loan from Musée d’Orsay include Bedroom in Arles (1889) and The Siesta (between 1889 and 1890) by Vincent Van Gogh; The Hair (circa 1892) and The Evening Air by Henri-Edmond Cross (circa 1893); Portrait of Madam Cézanne (1885 and 1890) and Still Life with Onions (circa 1896 – 1898) by Paul Cézanne; Breton Women with Umbrellas (1892) by Emile Bernard; and The Talisman, The Aven River at the Bois d’Amour (1888) by Paul Sérusier. Prints from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection will also be on display including Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Famous of Edo (1857) and Plum Estate, Kameido, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1857) by Utagawa Hiroshige.

Two paintings by Egyptian artist Georges Hanna Sabbagh will also be on display: The Artist and His Family at the Church of La Clarté, 1920 (loan from Centre Pompidou) and The Family: The Sabbaghs in Paris, 1921 (loan from Musée de Grenoble).

Sylvain Amic, President of the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie – Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, stated: “The Musée d'Orsay is proud to collaborate with Louvre Abu Dhabi on this visionary artistic project, marking a pivotal moment in the cultural exchange not only for the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region but also on a global scale. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all the teams involved for their exemplary collaboration. We remain committed to our partners, Louvre Abu Dhabi and France Muséums, and look forward to continuing our work together on projects as iconic as the exhibitions Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity and Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances.”

The exhibition’s unique and colourful scenography is structured into nine captivating sections, each highlighting the distinct journeys of Post-Impressionist artists. Visitors are invited to explore the Neo-Impressionist Path; Cézanne Path; Gauguin and Pont-Aven Path; Van Gogh Path; Nabis Path; Toulouse-Lautrec Path; Odilon Redon Path; the Prints; and the New Ways, from Post-Impressionism to the avant-garde of the 20th Century. These sections allow visitors to get a closer look at the Post-Impressionist masters and encourage personal interpretation of the works. Through four interactive multimedia devices, visitors will get the chance to engage in video projections and interactive stories about the artists and experiment with the creation of their own artworks.

Lenders to the exhibition include Musée d’Orsay, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art, Musée de Grenoble, Le Signe, centre national des arts graphiques, Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Petit Palais, musée des Beaux-arts de la Ville de Paris, Musée national d’art moderne – Centre Georges Pompidou and Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Cultural and Educational Programme

A rich cultural and educational programme will accompany Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances, offering an array of events. A public talk with the exhibition’s curators will take place on October 15 and a recorded podcast will be available on Louvre Abu Dhabi’s website and mobile application, for the public to explore the exhibition.

Secret Dinners, a culinary experience inspired by a secret ingredient that exists in one of the Post-Impressionism exhibition artworks, will be held on December 6 and 7. The experience will feature music, art and food inspired by the Post-Impressionism school.

Film screening of Loving Vincent tells the story of a young man who comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there.

A series of educational activities will be available for adults, families and youth including a specialized interactive Young Visitors’ Guide for students and children to explore the exhibition through questions, clues and fun facts, in addition to family weekend activations at the end of each month. Adult visitors will have specific post-impressionists’ sessions of the museum’s series programmes such as Drawing at the Museum and Book an Easel, in addition to dedicated guided tours.