Impressionist Paris

Exhibition at the Kunstmuseum, The Hague, 15 February - 9 June 2025

In 1867, Claude Monet painted three emblematic views of Paris from the balcony of the Louvre, thus firing the starting shot for Impressionism. In his wake, other artists, including Cézanne, Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, Manet and Bazille, depicted Paris in its transformation into a modern metropolis: the theatres, parks and boulevards of Haussmann-style Paris, where the bourgeoisie flaunted its new-found wealth. But behind the façade of light, beauty and romanticism, political unrest and revolution were in the air.

This exhibition catalogue provides a detailed analysis of these revolutionary works, as well as a host of other Impressionist paintings and drawings. It brings this turbulent period to life through original photographs, posters, letters and satirical engravings.