Marie Gicquiel // Photo credits: Miguel Medina / AFP 7:47 a.m., March 26, 2024

2024 celebrates the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, an artistic movement born in Paris and which revolutionized the art world. The Musée d'Orsay is offering an anniversary exhibition, recreating the birth of this movement and exhibiting the paintings that launched the movement.

It is an evening in April 1874, Boulevard des Capucines, in Paris. The future impressionists Monet, Renoir, Degas decided to exhibit their paintings executed outdoors, which no longer imitated reality. Never seen ! The event disconcerted the art critics of the time but is today recounted in an anniversary exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay.

“It all started with a mockery”

The establishment, which houses the largest collection of Impressionist works, is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the artistic movement this spring. “It all started with a mockery, that of a journalist who does not understand this painting, he does not understand what he sees,” explains Sylvie Patry, curator of the exhibition. She continues: "He gives the title to his article: 'The exhibition of the impressionists'. This term 'impressionist', he in fact derives from a title of a painting by Monet, which is called 'Impression , Sunrise'".

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A painting with a mysterious aura, with a bright orange point, the sun, which is reflected on the sea. "A landscape without quality, without poetry, summarizes Sylvie Patry. And Monet delivers a very quick impression of it, so it is very sketchy." These blurred contours are also found in the tutus of Degas' dancers, the wheat fields of Pissaro or the famous "Bal du moulin de la galette" by Renoir.

Tomorrow, Tuesday March 26, opening of the #Paris1874 exhibition. Inventing impressionism.


On display until July 14 at the Musée d'Orsay.


https://t.co/2vKxotNSxW



With the generous support of @MorganStanley, @AForsay and Wilhelm & Associés. pic.twitter.com/6OFzoLXjz6

— Musée d’Orsay (@MuseeOrsay) March 25, 2024

The exhibition is accessible until July 14. It is even possible to relive this first exhibition 150 years ago, thanks to virtual reality offered by the Musée d'Orsay.