NGV | French Impressionism exhibition re-opens

As part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, the NGV’s French Impressionism exhibition is a plethora of colour and wonder. Showcasing more than 100 pieces from the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, with 79 works that have never been seen in Australia, this exhibition is picturesque with a touch of serenity. With masterpieces by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt, this exhibition’s collection will make you feel as though you’re casually walking through the splendour of the south of France.

Exquisitely beautiful, the works date to the late-19th-century and showcase the artistic movement that is Impressionism. The revolutionary movement is presented thematically across ten sections from early works and influences, proteges and some methods that were seen as radical for the time. A highpoint of the exhibition is the change in subject matter from people to painting outdoors: en plein air (in the open air). Viewers can witness wonderful quotes from exemplar Impressionists, such as Eugène Boudin, who told Claude Monet ‘A work painted directly on the spot has always a strength, a power, a vividness of touch that one doesn’t find again in the studio,’ in relation to painting outdoors. Monet and Boudin maintained a lifelong friendship and Monet credited much of his success to Boudin. The interesting facts and beautiful quotes throughout the exhibition enhance the experience as a spectator to better understand the works. 

Focusing on ‘Watery Surfaces’, this particular theme studies flickering colour and light on striking ripples. This was a heavily featured subject matter among the Impressionists and their friends. Capturing the fleeting and momentary, among the striking compositions allows the viewer to float or hover above the painting. As Alfred Sisley said, ‘so beautiful, so translucent, so changeable’ in relation to the river Loing. These works are just that — beautiful. 

In juxtaposition to Watery Surfaces, we find Still Life as Studio Practice. This theme focuses on studio practice as an option when the weather did not permit outdoor work or for other reasons. Berthe Morisot observed, ‘to catch the fleeting moment – anything, however small, a smile, a flower, a fruit – is an ambition.’ This style of work was more conventional than landscapes in terms of control of composition and lighting. Other elegant themes throughout this exhibition include ‘Renoir and Experimentation’, ‘Pissarro as Mentor and Mentee’, ‘Urban Realisms’ and ‘Innovative Printmaking’.

After months of on-and-off lockdowns, the NGV’s masterful loaned works from MFA are an amazing way for viewers to see an iconic collection while injecting money back into the economy. This is a great way to ensure Melbourne’s reputation as the creative state flourishes and sticks. 

Impressionism was a revolution in the history of art and this exhibition demonstrates it perfectly. Filled with artistic innovation, stunning colours and visual curiosity, this style is beloved worldwide. With distinguishing brushwork, unique points of view and a focus on beautiful places these artists held dear, such as Paris, Fontainebleau Forest, Pontoise, Giverny, the Normandy coast and the South of France, NGV’s French Impressionism is simply stunning. Some highlight pieces include Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Dance at Bougival, 1883, Paul Cézanne Fruit and a jug on a table, about 1890–94 and Claude Monet’s Camille Monet and a Child in the Artist’s Garden in Argenteuil, 1875.

This exhibition is one of a kind and truly not one to be missed. 

NGV French Impressionism
Open to Sunday 3 October 2021
NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3006
ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/french-impressionism