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CALENDRIER
Summer 2004
By Natalie Radolinski |
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Georges Seurat spent years studying color theory and the effects of different linear structures before creating "Sunday on La Grande Jatte," one of the world's most famous works of art. Over the years, the painting has become something of a pop-culture icon, inspiring a musical and making a cameo appearance in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This summer, it's the focus of a major exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. |
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BARBIZON
In the 1820s, Camille Corot and Théodore Rousseau invited artists to the forest of Fontainebleau and its surrounding villages so they could create works of art based on the direct observation of nature. French Painters of Nature: The Barbizon School brings together 70 19th-century paintings, watercolors, drawings and prints from The Metropolitan Museum of Art that reflect the changing style of landscape painting in France as a result of Corot’s and Rousseau’s innovative ideas.
Through Aug. 22 at the New York State Museum of Art, Albany, NY. nysm.nysed.gov
FASHION & FURNITURE
Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century focuses on the relationship between apparel and the decorative arts in France between 1723 and 1789. Presented in the museum’s French period rooms, the exhibit contains items such as a Polonaise dress with hidden ties that allowed for a variety of styles, perhaps raising a hem to reveal a dainty ankle. These costumes appear alongside the curving legs of Louis XVI furniture, while flirtatious accessories such as fans and snuffboxes complete the seductive scene. In addition to the period pieces, contemporary designs by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Philippe Starck and André Dubreuil, among others, illustrate the influence of 18th-century style on modern-day aesthetics.
Through Aug. 8 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. metmuseum.org
FRENCH DRAWINGS
With works by such artists as Bellange, Girodet, Delacroix and Géricault, French Drawings from Canadian Collections sheds light on the diverse aspects of the art of drawing. From rough sketches to finished products, viewers can see the progression of the drawing technique through landscapes, portraits, religious subjects and genre pictures. Structured chronologically, the exhibit’s 16th- and early 17th-century works were largely commissioned to adorn the courts of aristocratic patrons of the arts, whereas the 17th- and 18th-century pieces are characterized by academic thinking, with representations of live models. A third part of the exhibit looks at Romanticism and Classicism and finally the departure from traditions of previous centuries in pieces by Degas, Puvis de Chavannes and Redon.
Through Aug. 29 at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. national.gallery.ca
GEORGES SEURAT
Seurat and the Making of “La Grande Jatte” features some 130 paintings and works on paper that trace the evolution of Georges Seurat’s masterpiece. The exhibit includes a digital reconstruction of the painting that shows not only Seurat’s transformations of the initial work with pointillist markings but also the vivid colors of the original before the onset of natural darkening. Also on view are paintings by such artists as Monet, Renoir, Signac and Pissarro that create a context for Seurat’s signature work.
June 19 through Sept. 19 at the Art Institute of Chicago, IL. artic.edu
EUROPEAN MUSES
With approximately 80 paintings and works on paper, Monet to Matisse, Homer to Hartley: American Masters and their European Muses examines the impact of European style on American artists between 1870 and 1950. The exhibit couples works by Monet and Renoir with pieces by Theodore Robinson and Childe Hassam to look at the way French Impressionism affected American art. The show also juxtaposes later paintings by such artists as Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas with those of Mary Cassatt and Marsden Hartley to demonstrate how European influence continued through the Post-Impressionist period into Modernist painting.
June 24 through Oct. 17 at the Portland Museum of Art, ME. portlandmuseum.org
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ART DECO
Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco highlights the exquisite craftsmanship of one of the most renowned designers of the 1920s. This first retrospective of Ruhlmann’s work looks at every aspect of the artist’s career as he came to define glamorous French Art Deco style. Along with the objects on display, more than 100 seldom seen drawings from the Ruhlmann Archive in France depict the development of his designs from initial drafts to finished products. A complementary exhibit, Art Deco Paris, presents a wide range of 1920s Parisian design and includes examples of work by Ruhlmann’s contemporaries—jewelry by Georges Fouquet, metalwork by Edgar Brandt and furniture by Süe et Mare.
June 8 through Sept. 5 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, and Sept. 30 through Dec. 12 at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Quebec. metmuseum.org
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Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann's "Pair of Lamps" (c. 1925). |
DAUMIER TO LAUTREC
The growth of varying social classes intrigued members of 19th-century French society as revolutions and industrialization sparked the migration of people from the countryside to the city. Daumier to Lautrec: French Prints and Drawings presents the visual imagery that such movements inspired. Artists such as Honoré Daumier, Jean-François Millet, Camille Pissarro and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depict both aristocrats and peasants, cabaret performers and bourgeois gentlemen in works that illuminate the changing face of Paris.
July 31 through Oct. 24 at the Portland Art Museum, OR. portlandartmuseum.org
ETCHINGS
The Etching Revival in Europe: Late-Nineteenth- and Early-Twentieth-Century French and British Prints explores the ways in which French and British artists sought to rebel against the traditional printmaking of the Netherlands, Spain and Italy by creating prints that exalted freedom through plein air works and rural subjects. The exhibit includes a very rare edition of Edouard Manet’s “Christ with Angels,” as well as a series by Félix Buhot entitled “Japonisme,” which mimics the Japanese-style prints that were thought to be very chic in the late 19th century.
Through Sept. 19 at the Detroit Institute of Arts, MI. dia.org
TURNER, WHISTLER, MONET
Through 100 paintings, watercolors, pastels and prints, Turner, Whistler, Monet: Impressionist Visions looks at the close friendship between Whistler and Monet and both artists’ appreciation for Turner’s work. Focusing on the landscapes that these three artists created in the second half of the 19th century, the exhibit considers the challenges of working from nature in a time of industrial revolution and environmental pollution. The Art Gallery of Ontario organized the exhibition in collaboration with the Tate Britain, London, and the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, and will be the only North American venue for this show.
June 12 through Sept. 12 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. ago.net
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“Afterglow, Galilee” (late 1930s) is among the works assembled for “Revelation: Georges Rouault at Work.”
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GEORGES ROUAULT
Considered by some to be the greatest religious artist of the 20th century, Georges Rouault began his career as an apprentice to a stained-glass worker. He later studied under Gustave Moreau and embraced the Fauvists’ love of color, creating works with strong outlines and vibrant hues. Revelation: Georges Rouault at Work brings together a selection of the artist’s works from 1924 to 1939 that reflects his various painting and printing techniques.
June 12 through Sept. 5 at the Phillips Collection, Washington, DC. phillipscollection.org
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MILLET TO MATISSE
Rarely seen still lifes, portraits and landscapes come together in Millet to Matisse: Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century French Painting from Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow. Offering examples by such artists as Gauguin, Millet, Matisse and Vuillard, the exhibition showcases 64 works of art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in an effort to illustrate the developments in French painting at the turn of the last century and to give a unique perspective of the city of Glasgow.
Through Aug. 15 at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, MI, and Sept. 8 through Dec. 5 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, OK. kiarts.org
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Mary Cassatt's "The Young Girls" (c. 1885).
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FILM FASHION
Cut! Costume for the Silver Screen presents 30 selections from the Cinémathèque Française, Musée du Cinéma, Paris. Costumes by such designers as Pierre Cardin, Coco Chanel, Christian Lacroix and Jeanne Lanvin, together with images and film clips, show how fashion became an integral part of the film set. The exhibit also illustrates the way designers moved increasingly into the public eye once they were associated with a particular star.
Through Aug. 21 at the AXA Gallery, NYC. axa-financial.com
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"The Dream of a Eunuch" (1874).
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LECOMTE DU NOUŸ
A student of the famous academician Jean-Léon Gérôme, Jean Lecomte du Nouÿ purposely avoided modernism and instead endeavored to sustain the beau idéal, a traditional vision of beauty associated with ideal forms and a high degree of polish. The first retrospective since the painter’s death in 1923, From Homer to the Harem: The Art of Jean Lecomte du Nouÿ (1842-1923) showcases more than 100 paintings, oil sketches and drawings inspired by classical history, the Bible and his own travels to Egypt, Morocco and Romania.
June 22 through Sept. 19 at the Dahesh Museum of Art, NYC. daheshmuseum.org
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BAROQUE CELEBRATION
The Hillwood Museum and Gardens’ French Festival 2004 celebrates 18th-century France with performances by the New York Baroque Dance Company as well as period music and dramatic skits, all against a backdrop of beautiful 18th-century decorative art objects. Visitors can also attend a family “goldsmith” workshop where parents and children create their own “gold” boxes to serve as mementos of those in Hillwood’s collection. Reservations are required.
July 10 and 11 at Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Washington, DC. hillwoodmuseum.org
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The New York Baroque Dance Company.
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THE MISER
The American Repertory Theatre, in collaboration with Theatre de la Jeune Lune, presents a new production of Molière’s The Miser directed by Dominique Serrand. Molière’s comedy recounts the story of Harpagon, who seeks only financial benefit in marrying off his children, Elise and Cléante. Harpagon soon learns, however, that he is no match for the secret loves already in his children’s lives. With Steven Epp as Harpagon, Sarah Agnew as Elise and Stephen Cartmell as Cléante.
June 19 through July 11 at the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA. amrep.org
FRENCH FILM
The ninth annual Boston French Film Festival gathers an array of recent French films by both popular and lesser known directors. This year’s festival includes Embrassez qui vous voudrez by Michel Blanc, It’s Easier for a Camel by Valeria Bruni, and The Story of Marie and Julien by Jacques Rivette.
July 8 through July 25 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. mfa.org/film
FRENCH FESTIVAL
France comes to California at the annual Santa Barbara French Festival. Visitors can sample classic dishes and nouvelle cuisine while taking in more than 40 live performances on three stages, from classical recitals to lively cancan to Tahitian drumming. The festival also includes a Poodle Parade, held on Sunday, that draws both pedigree champions and mixed breeds—costumed and decorated pups are particularly welcome.
July 17 and 18 in Oak Park, Santa Barbara, CA. frenchfestival.com
LES FRANCOFOLIES
Hundreds of thousands of people attend Les Francofolies de Montréal each summer. One of the largest tributes to French-language music, the festival this year features French sensations Alain Bashung and Rachid Taha as well as international singer Nana Mouskouri.
July 29 through August 7 at various Montreal venues. francofolies.com
LIBERTY FESTIVAL
Brasserie Les Halles New York, Miami and Washington, DC, host their annual Liberty Festival honoring both Independence Day on July 4 and Bastille Day on July 14. For 11 days, the restaurants offer special menus, live music and performances for guests to enjoy.
July 4 through 14 at Brasserie
Les Halles in NYC, Miami, FL, and Washington, DC. leshalles.net
BEATRICE AND BENEDICT
The Santa Fe Opera brings the story of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing to the stage in its production of Beatrice and Benedict, with music and libretto by Hector Berlioz. As in the classic comedy, Beatrice and Benedict engage in a “battle” of words, all the while masking their affections for one another. With Victoria Vizin as Beatrice and William Burden as Benedict.
July 17, 21 and 30 and August 4, 10 and 16 at the Santa Fe Opera House, NM. santafeopera.org
EDGAR DEGAS: PORTRAITS AND SELF-PORTRAITS
Through July 18 at the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA.
AN IMPRESSIONIST EYE: PAINTING AND SCULPTURE FROM THE PHILIP AND JANICE LEVIN FOUNDATION
Through July 18 at the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV.
FROM FRA ANGELICO TO BONNARD: MASTERPIECES FROM THE RAU COLLECTION
Through Aug. 22 at the Portland Art Museum, OR.
JEAN COCTEAU: ENFANT TERRIBLE
Through Aug. 29 at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Quebec.
PIERRE HUYGHE: ONE MILLION + KINGDOMS
Through Aug. 29 at the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth, TX.
JEAN-MICHEL OTHONIEL: CRYSTAL PALACE
Through Aug. 31 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL.
“BONJOUR, MONSIEUR COURBET!”: THE BRUYAS COLLECTION FROM THE MUSÉE FABRE, MONTPELLIER
June 27 - Sept. 6 at the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA.
VAN GOGH TO MONDRIAN: MODERN ART FROM THE KRÖLLER-MÜLLER MUSEUM
Through Sept. 12 at the Seattle Art Museum, WA.
DEGAS IN BRONZE: THE COMPLETE SCULPTURES
June 19 through Sept. 18 at the Boise Art Museum, ID.
PICASSO TO POLLOCK: MODERN MASTERPIECES FROM THE WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART
June 27 - Sept. 26 at the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX.
ART DECO: THE FRENCH AESTHETIC
Through Oct. 2004 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN.
MONET TO MATISSE: THE TRIUMPH OF IMPRESSIONISM AND THE AVANT GARDE
Through Dec. 2004 at the Columbus Museum of Art, OH. 
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