Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Edgar Degas
Auguste Rodin
Paul Gauguin
Paul Cezanne
Vincent Van Gogh
Impressionists and Postimpressionists in the Israel Museum, Jarusalem. The exhibition presents 53 paintings and bronze sculptures from the turn of the last century. The Impressionists celebrate the modern, painting swiftly and sketch-like to capture the fleeting, modern world around them, portraying the countryside and cityscapes of their time, with emphasis on light and movement. The following generation, the Post-Impressionists, take one step further in their experiments of colour while sometimes expressing a yearning for the original, primitive and unspoilt.
In the spring of 2009 ARKEN presents the fine collection of French Impressionists
and Postimpressionists from The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. 53 paintings and
sculptures come to Denmark for four months in the exhibition MONET, RENOIR, VAN
GOGH, GAUGUIN.
It is a unique opportunity to experience a number of masterpieces by the many
brilliant and innovative artists based in France who would revolutionise world art
from the 1870s and into the twentieth century. A time when change was the only
constant.
The artists caused an outrage when they appeared. Today they rank among the most
reproduced, popular and priceless artists.
In their art the Impressionists communicated their sensory perception of the new
modern world that was developing before their eyes. They created a new style of
painting, immediate and sketch-like in order to capture the fleeting moment before
it was over. They painted the reality around them. The heroes and gods of past
generations' art must surrender their place to contemporary people of flesh and
blood; elegant Parisiennes, rural girls, posh gentlemen and harvesters. Eager
students of sunlight, the impressionists painted outdoors. They daubed their
canvasses spontaneously and with brushes heavy with paint. They painted with colours
rather than lines. Their works pulse with presence and a particular sensual
pleasure.
The Postimpressionists denotes the group of contemporary or younger artists who
retired from modern life rather than painted it. They depicted the inner world
instead of the outer one - and an artist like Gauguin travelled to Tahiti to find
and pursue the original, primitive life.
MONET, RENOIR, VAN GOGH, GAUGUIN presents the incredible span in the artists'
reactions to the new age. We are shown a volatile, versatile period when the artist
milieu was seething with innovations, discussions, inspiration, friendships and
discord. And this age is illustrated in the works from Israel Museum.
ONE OF THE FINEST COLLECTIONS OF IMPRESSIONISTS
The Israel Museum has received a wealth of private donations especially from the
American Jewish community. In the course of half a century a tremendous art
collection has been created, including works which no Danish museum would be able to
acquire today.
The collection of Impressionist and Postimpressionist art includes some of the
Israel Museum's most beloved works. While individual works have participated in
numerous exhibitions worldwide and images from the collection are included in many
publications, this is the first time that an ensemble of major works from this
collection travels outside Jerusalem. This opportunity highlights the Museum's
strength in these fields and therefore signals a kind of coming-of-age for the
collection, which now achieves wider international exposure.
The exhibition has been organized by The Israel Museum, Jerusalem in collaboration
with ARKEN Museum of Modern Art.
Image: Claude Monet
Press conference Wednesday 28 January, 12 p.m.
Open to the public from january 31, 2009
Arken Museum of Modern Art
Skovvej 100 - Ishoj