Paris 1874: The Impressionist Exhibition has Landed in Washington 

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Impressionist exhibit in Paris, which launched a momentous movement in the art world, by visiting the National Gallery of Art in Washington. 

The exceptional art show – the only one showing in the United States – is running from September 8th to January 19th 2025. 

The first exhibit of Impressionist art was organized by a group of artists who eschewed the Paris Salon, that conventional, government-supported yearly art event. Known as the “Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers, etc.,” they assembled their own show on April 15, 1874 on the Boulevard des Capucines. That pivotal first exhibit introduced works by more than 30 artists, many of whom are now recognizable names, including Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro and Berthe Morisot. 

Before the term “impressionism” was even coined, these artists took a bold step toward launching a style of modernist painting that — over time — became highly appreciated throughout the world. Ushering in a new perspective in art which brought them out of their studios, they painted en plein air to portray real-life, day-to-day situations rather than religious or historical subjects as their contemporaries had. Consider the impact of this painting, for example, by legendary Claude Monet, depicting a serene sunrise in moody pinks and blues with simple black spots for boats. It’s especially fitting for this initial exhibit that he titled this painting Impression, Sunrise.

An example depicting everyday life is found in Manet’s The Railway, where mother and daughter may be waiting for a train or perhaps a passenger. It’s a bit uneventful, in a sense, yet also a charming glimpse into its quiet, familiar moment. 

While Edgar Degas is celebrated for his famous ballerinas, his scenes of horses are the favorites of many. He celebrates equestrian events with At the Races in the Countryside, focusing on a carriage and passengers in the foreground during race day at the track.

Direct from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, this comprehensive show features some 130 paintings, works on paper, prints, sculptures, and photographs and will be the only venue in the States. Many of these original works will be exhibited beside paintings and sculptures that were shown at the official Paris Salon in 1874; you will benefit from seeing elements of the more traditional show versus the works of the new impressionists.  

“This exhibition will closely reconstitute the very first impressionist exhibition,” noted Christophe Leribault, President of Orsay and Orangerie Museums, Paris. “It will invite visitors to immerse themselves in this decisive moment, a major rupture in the history of art, and help us understand its emergence and grasp its radicality.” 

“Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment offers a unique opportunity to explore the origins of one of the most popular and well-known movements in Western art,” said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. “We are pleased to partner with the Musée d’Orsay to share this fascinating story with our American audience.”

In addition to this special exhibit, visitors will benefit from viewing additional Impressionist works in the permanent galleries of the museum. If you’re in the Washington, DC area, this exhibit is not to be missed. 

For more information, visit www.nga.gov