SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
The boulevard Saint-Germain is one of the many legacies of Baron Haussmann's grand transformation of Paris in the 19th century. Now one of the city's most famous arteries, its construction came at the cost of a number of stately mansions. Among these was the Hôtel de Varengeville, designed by Jacques Gabriel, who went on to become royal architect to Louis XV. Though not completely destroyed, the building was drastically truncated, losing its front elevation. The Varengeville Room (above), which dates from 1736-52, was part of the remaining structure. Donated to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1963, it is one of a suite of 18th-century rooms making up THE WRIGHTSMAN GALLERIES FOR FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS. Recent renovations have included cleaning the rock-crystal chandeliers of decades' worth of dulling grime and equipping them with bulbs designed to approximate candlelight. The reinstalled galleries reopen to the public on October 30.

Los Angeles
LUC DELAHAYE
The award-winning photojournalist Luc Delahaye has recently strived to capture world events in images that defy the conventions of his profession. His desire to transcend the confines of the newspaper is evident in the sheer size of these photographs: four feet by eight feet. Using a medium- to large-format camera, he records not only the central event, but also the players and scenery at its periphery. Recent History: Photographs by Luc Delahaye presents 10 of these images; their subjects include a group of women in a refugee camp in Eastern Chad and an Indonesian man amid the devastation left by the 2005 tsunami. Through Nov. 25 at the Getty Center; getty.edu.









New York
CHANTAL STORM
A Woman’s Obsession at the French Institute Alliance Française features works by French photographer Chantal Storm. Shot in 2005 during the artist’s visit to Tokyo, the images chronicles Japanese women’s avid pursuit of French luxury goods. Nov. 2 through Dec. 1; fiaf.org.

Saint Louis
PATRICK JOUIN
Currents 101: Patrick Jouin showcases cutting-edge furniture by one of France's top design stars, whose résumé includes a four-year stint at Philippe Starck's Paris studio. The pieces were created using a rapid manufacturing technique known as stereolithography. The process begins, conventionally enough, with a sketch, which is then converted into a three-dimensional computer image. That image, in turn, is "printed out" using a laser beam that cures layer upon layer of liquid resin or nylon powder. Within hours, a full-scale object is born. Through Dec. 9 at the Saint Louis Art Museum; slam.org.

Baltimore
DÉJÀ VU
Through the work of such celebrated 19th- and 20th-century artists as Delacroix, Cézanne and Matisse, Déjà Vu? Revealing Repetition in French Masterpieces encourages viewers to hone their powers of observation by seeking out subtle differences among multiple versions of the same image. The show explores the various reasons for artistic repetition, from copying for instructional purposes to catering to market demand. Highlights include a high-resolution, life-size video projection of David's iconic "Death of Marat," presented alongside four student copies. Oct. 7 through Jan. 1, 2008, at The Walters Art Museum; thewalters.org.

Indianapolis
ROMAN ART
Roman Art from the Louvre showcases some 180 ancient artifacts ranging from glass vessels to monumental sculptures, none of which have ever before been exhibited in the United States. Organized thematically, the show examines various aspects of Roman civilization from the first century B.C. to the early fourth century A.D., including religion, imperial expansion and funerary practices. Sept. 23 through Jan. 6, 2008, at the Indianapolis Museum of Art; ima-art.org.

Philadelphia
RENOIR
Although best known as a figure painter, Renoir also painted landscapes throughout his artistic life. He used the genre to experiment with composition and paint handling as he developed his signature style. Renoir Landscapes follows the master from the beginning of his career to the early 1880s, when voyages to Algeria and Italy inspired him to intensify his palette and incorporate new motifs into his work. Oct. 4 through Jan. 6, 2008, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; philamuseum.org.

Denver
LOUVRE TREASURES
A western offshoot of "Louvre Atlanta" (see below), Artisans & Kings: Selected Treasures from the Louvre showcases works of fine and decorative art from the collections of Louis XIV, XV and XVI. From Sèvres porcelain to Gobelins tapestry, the finest French craftsmanship is on display, as are oils and drawings by Titian, Velázquez and other Old Masters. Among the main attractions is Nicolas Poussin's "Et in Arcadia Ego," an icon of French classical painting. Oct. 6 through Jan. 6, 2008, at the Denver Art Museum; denverartmuseum.org.

New York
SEURAT
Georges Seurat: The Drawings, the first comprehensive exhibition on the subject in nearly 25 years, brings together more than 135 works spanning the artist's career. Devoted largely to Seurat's conté (hard chalk) drawings, the show highlights his masterful draftsmanship, revealing a lesser-known side of one of the seminal figures of pointillism. Oct. 28 through Jan. 7, 2008, at the Museum of Modern Art; moma.org.

Atlanta
INSPIRING IMPRESSIONISM
The influence of the Old Masters on the technique, compositional choices and subject matter of the Impressionists is the subject of Inspiring Impressionism. By juxtaposing Titians and Rubenses with Manets and Monets, the exhibition reveals the ways in which Impressionist artists incorporated lessons from their illustrious forebears into their revolutionary style. Oct. 16 through Jan. 13, 2008, at the High Museum of Art; high.org.

Washington, DC
IMPRESSIONIST SEASCAPES
During the 19th century, the expansion of the railway and the popularization of leisure activities transformed the fishing villages along the coast of Normandy into fashionable tourist destinations. Impressionists by the Sea (see related article, p. 48) shows how Boudin, Monet and other masters chronicled the region's economic and cultural metamorphosis, which in turn shaped their artistic vision. Romantic seascapes gave way to depictions of stylish beachgoers; later still, certain artists abandoned the human form to focus on visual effects such as the play of light on water. Oct. 20 through Jan. 13, 2008, at The Phillips Collection; phillipscollection.org.

Los Angeles
FRENCH PIONEERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
The Pico House presents a photography exhibition of 70 works documenting the contributions of French immigrants to the urban development of L.A. in Pioneers and Entrepreneurs: French immigrants and the making of Los Angeles, 1827-1927. Dec. 3 through Jan. 13, 2008; elpueblo.lacity.org.

New York
DRAWING IN SPACE
Drawing in Space at the Jan Krugier Gallery looks at how artists use line to define spatial dimensions. The show includes works by such artists as Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Joan Miró. Oct. 31 through Jan. 18, 2008; jankrugierny.com.

Columbus
GIVERNY
Spanning styles, generations and the Atlantic Ocean, In Monet's Garden: The Lure of Giverny explores the enduring appeal of one of the world's most famous sources of artistic inspiration. A dozen Monets, including one from the "Water Lilies" series, join paintings by American Impressionists, modern masters such as Ellsworth Kelly and contemporary American artists. Oct. 12 through Jan. 20, 2008, at the Columbus Museum of Art; inmonetsgarden.com.

Williamstown, MA
FRAGONARD
One of the leading painters of the 18th century, Fragonard captured the spirit of rococo with his images of elegant young men and women in bucolic settings. In the late 1770s and 1880s, he produced a series of allegorical representations of love, rendered in a more dramatic style and deeper palette than his signature pastel confections. Consuming Passion: Fragonard's Allegories of Love presents a selection of these works in a variety of media. Oct. 28 through Jan. 21, 2008, at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; clarkart.edu.

Boston
EMPIRE STYLE
Symbols of Power: Napoleon and the Art of the Empire Style, 1800-1815 brings together more than 140 works of fine and decorative art, many never before exhibited outside France. Running the gamut from sculpture to scenic wallpaper, the exhibition offers an overview of the neoclassical aesthetic that sought to link Napoleon's empire with the great civilizations of antiquity through the use of Egyptian, Greek and Roman motifs. Oct. 21 through Jan. 27, 2008, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; mfa.org.

Richmond
EUGÈNE BOUDIN
An important forerunner of the Impressionist movement, Eugène Boudin is reputed to have introduced Monet to plein air painting. Some 45 of his paintings and drawings, most depicting scenes from his beloved native Normandy, are on view in The First Impressionist: Eugène Boudin. Nov. 14 through Jan. 27, 2008, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; vmfa.state.va.us.

New York
SAINT-AUBIN
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (1724-1780) celebrates a master whose work is prized by scholars and connoisseurs of 18th-century French art but little known to the general public. After a promising start that included studying with Francois Boucher, Saint-Aubin broke with the Royal Academy when he failed to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome in painting. He then settled into a humble life as an engraver. An indefatigable draftsman who was constantly depicting the world around him, he left a vast and varied oeuvre that offers a window onto life in Paris during the Enlightenment. Oct. 30 through Jan. 27, 2008, at The Frick Collection; frick.org.

San Francisco
LE PETIT TRIANON
The Petit Trianon, a small château on the grounds of Versailles, was originally intended for Louis XV's mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who died before it was completed. Her successor, Madame du Barry, occupied the neoclassical gem until the king's death in 1774. After receiving the château as a wedding gift from Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette had it lavishly furnished and transformed its grounds into a bucolic wonderland complete with a theater, grotto and tiny village. Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon brings together 88 works of fine and decorative art from the château, along with watercolors, prints and drawings of the estate. Nov. 17 through Feb. 17, 2008, at the Legion of Honor; thinker.org.

New York
PISSARRO
Camille Pissarro: Impressions of City & Country at The Jewish Museum features nearly 50 paintings and works on paper by the Impressionist celebrated for both his rural landscapes and urban cityscapes. The exhibition is drawn primarily from New York-area private collections. Through Feb. 3, 2008; thejewishmuseum.org.

New York
LAFAYETTE
French Founding Father: Lafayette’s Return to Washington’s America at the New York Historical Society commemorates Lafayette’s visit (1824-1825) to the then-24 states more than 40 years after the defeat of the British, as well as his relationship with George Washington. The show expands upon a traveling exhibition that originated in Mount Vernon. Through Aug. 10, 2008; nyhistory.org.

Baltimore
MATISSE
Matisse: Painter as Sculptor explores the artist's achievements in the three-dimensional form within the context of his own varied oeuvre and in comparison to the work of other modern masters such as Brancusi, Degas and Giacometti. More than 150 sculptures, paintings, works on paper and photographs of the artist at work are grouped thematically to illustrate the interplay among the various media. Oct. 28 through Feb. 3, 2008, at the Baltimore Museum of Art; artbma.org.

New York
DREYFUS
The false conviction of French-Jewish army officer Alfred Dreyfus for treason in 1894 unleashed a scandal that divided France, fueling both anti-Semitism and political and social activism. Alfred Dreyfus: The Fight for Justice examines this historic political drama through the personal belongings of the man at the center of the controversy. On display are some 200 photographs, posters and other items from the Dreyfus family archive, including letters Dreyfus wrote to his wife, brother and others during his four years in solitary confinement on Devil's Island (French Guiana). Oct. 14 through Feb. 17, 2008, at Yeshiva University Museum; yumuseum.org.

Atlanta
LOUVRE ATLANTA
Louvre Atlanta, which runs through fall 2009, has transformed a wing of the High Museum of Art into an outpost of the venerable French institution. The overarching theme of the project is the history of the Louvre. Year one focused on the royal collections, while year two, which begins this fall, highlights holdings from the museum's antiquities departments. "The Louvre and the Ancient World" (Oct. 16 through Sept. 7, 2008) examines the museum's critical role in the history of archaeology through some 70 Egyptian, Near Eastern and Greco-Roman artifacts. "The Eye of Josephine" (Oct. 16 through May 18, 2008) focuses on a collection of Greek and Roman antiquities that adorned Malmaison, the Empress's château outside Paris. Dispersed after Josephine's death, the objects made their way one by one to the Louvre's various collections but have never before been reunited. louvreatlanta.org

Easton, PA
LAFAYETTE ANNIVERSARY
Lafayette College recently kicked off a year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de Lafayette. An exhibit titled "A Son and His Adopted Father: George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette" (through Oct. 28) presents jewelry, letters, weapons, portraits and a wide range of other decorative and historical items relating to these two heroes of American independence and their enduring friendship. Other highlights include a lecture series including such prominent speakers as historian Simon Schama (Oct. 19) and author Salman Rushdie (April 3, 2008). lafayette.edu/250

Los Angeles
PLEASE BE SEATED
Please Be Seated: A Video Installation by Nicole Cohen at the J. Paul Getty Museum gives museum-goers an opportunity to interact with selections from its collection of 18th-century French chairs. As visitors sit in reproductions of the chairs, they are filmed by a surveillance camera and become part of the installation, which includes footage from Versailles, the Louvre, the Musée Nissim de Camondo Paris and the Getty Museum’s period rooms. Through Jan. 11, 2009; getty.edu