Passport to Paris

Passport to Paris
Denver Art Museum
October 27, 2013 – February 9, 2014

Opening October 27, Passport to Paris brings together works from some of the world’s most beloved artists—Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and more. This exhibition’s trio of shows focuses on French art from the late 1600s to early 1900s and explores changes in art and society during three important centuries in art history.

Revealing how art mirrors society, guests will get a sense of the changes that took place from the time of the powerful and absolute monarchy of Louis XIV to an individualistic café society. The museum also will offer numerous activities highlighting France and the French aesthetic. An exciting partnership with the Colorado Symphony will create a multisensory on-site experience that will beckon visitors back throughout the season.

Court to Café: Three Centuries of French Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum features 50 masterpieces from the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Conn. The artworks visually unfold the richness of French painting, ranging from the 1600s through the early 1900s and include religious and mythological subjects, portraits, landscapes, still lifes and genre scenes. The exhibition’s immersive environment includes hand-stenciled walls modeled after the Palace of Versailles and intimate boudoir settings of the Rococo era. Among the artists featured are Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Claude Monet.

Nature as Muse: Impressionist Landscapes from the Frederic C. Hamilton Collection and the Denver Art Museum displays the stunning work of 19th century impressionist artists, including Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley. Focusing on landscape paintings, this exhibition will feature about 36 artworks from the private collection of Frederic C. Hamilton and the DAM’s own holdings. This is the first time that the masterworks from Hamilton’s private collection will be on view to the public.

Drawing Room: An Intimate Look at French Drawings from the Esmond Bradley Martin Collection will offer a space where visitors can get close to artworks whose intimate nature invites contemplation and close-up viewing. Comprised of approximately 39 works-on-paper, the exhibition includes a range of techniques from rapid sketches to finished pastels. Drawn from the private collection of Dr. Esmond Bradley Martin, visitors will see works by artists including François Boucher, Théodore Géricault, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley.

Passport to Paris will be on view October 27, 2013–February 9, 2014.