Edouard Manet. Bar aux Folies-Bergère, 1882. Oil on canvas 96 x 130 cm. The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London
This year the Fondation Louis Vuitton presents the Courtauld Collection, from the 20th of February until the 17th of June, 2019. With more than 110 impressionist artworks, this exhibition is undoubtedly a major event in the art world.
For anyone living in London, the name “Courtauld” is most likely familiar. The Courtauld Gallery, located in the Somerset House on the Strand, is one of the most important museums of the capital. Indeed, it is exhibiting the art collection of the Courtauld Institute, created in 1932, by English industrialist, philanthropist and Huguenot descendant, Samuel Courtauld who lived from 1876 to 1947. This prestigious collection of more than 530 canvases is particularly known for its impressionist (and post-impressionist) paintings.
It is part of this impressionist collection that the Fondation Louis Vuitton decided to showcase for their new exhibition. Manet, Seurat, Cézanne, Gauguin, and even Van Gogh; many iconic painters can be found in the Courtauld Collection.
Claude Monet. Effet d’automne à Argenteuil, 1873. Oil on canvas 55 x 74,5 cm. The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London
The first two rooms, which are breathtaking, constitute the heart of this exhibition. The white walls and the soft but bright light reveal the canvases to the public. The meticulous, but also spontaneous touches of the impressionist painters are displayed to the eyes of the visitors very clearly. Several of Edouard Manet’s masterpieces are present in the first space, and it is almost like a waltz for the eyes; right away, the visitors are face to face with the waitress from the “Bar aux Folies-Bergère”, then they are outside in fresh air for a “Déjeuner sur l’herbe”. After, they can meet the eye of a lady in a blue dress at the “Coin de café-concert”. The second space, much larger than the first one regroups mostly landscapes painted by Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin or Camille Pissaro. Here again, the impressionists’ bright colors and poetry are astonishing, like in the painting of “Antibes” (a French town of the Riviera), by Monet.
In the third space, visitors can appreciate some much smaller canvases from George Seurat. His technique of pointillism is very interesting on these small surfaces because of his exceptional precision. Following the exhibition, visitors are given the opportunity to view Samuel Courtauld’s compilation of letters and correspondences from the artists, which are bringing a voice and an even more personal dimension to this collection.
Letters from Paul Cézanne to Émile Bernard. The Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London
In conclusion, the Courtauld’s collection at the Fondation Louis Vuitton is a must-see, and it is difficult to talk about it without being tempted to reveal the many surprises it holds. One important element to remember is that the Courtauld collection testifies of a man’s taste and sensibility for French art and culture. Anyone even remotely interested in this topic will certainly be impressed and impacted by some of these masterpieces.
