Get ready for a unique experience that will make you travel to the heart of modern art. The Palace of Fine Arts Museum in Mexico City is getting dressed up to receive the exhibition The Impressionist Revolution: From Monet to Matisse, an incredible show that brings together the great masters of Impressionism and their creative heirs. The best part? You can already visit it and it will be available until July 27, 2025!
This exhibition arrives from the Dallas Museum of Art as part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Impressionist movement. Through 45 works by 26 artists, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a journey that not only celebrates this artistic revolution, but also connects its legacy to the avant-garde of the 20th century. If you are an art lover (or simply want to let yourself be amazed), this is a must-see.
A journey through the artistic revolution that changed art forever
Impressionism emerged in 19th century France as a response to the strict academic rules that dominated painting. Artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Berthe Morisot opted for a new form of expression, where the important thing was not technical perfection, but capturing the essence of a moment: light, color, movement, and the fleeting emotions of everyday life.
And although today their names fill museums and art books, at the time they were considered radical, even scandalous. They were “rebels with a cause,” and that spirit of rupture is precisely what this exhibition celebrates. So if you visit Bellas Artes, you will not only see paintings… you will experience an artistic revolution.
Four cores, a journey through the soul of Impressionism
The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections that take you step by step through this transformation of art:
- The break with tradition: This shows how the Impressionists abandoned the rules of classical art. Works such as Monet’s Le Pont Neuf or Degas’ urban scenes illustrate the change in the way the world was observed and painted.
- Field Notes: This core focuses on the exploration of landscape and everyday life outdoors. You’ll see pieces like Monet’s The Water Lily Pond, which will take your breath away with the way it captures the reflection of light on water. You can also admire Berthe Morisot’s The Port of Nice, a work painted from a boat, defying the prejudices of its time.
- Side Effects: Here you will explore how Impressionism inspired the artists who came after it. You will find works by Vincent van Gogh, such as Sheaves of Wheat, and Paul Gauguin with his evocative I Raro te Oviri. This section shows how symbolism, emotion and the exploration of spirituality took center stage in post-impressionist art.
- Forever: The last part of the exhibition shows how Impressionism paved the way for the avant-garde of the 20th century. Paintings such as Still Life: Bouquet of Flowers and Fruit Bowl by Henri Matisse or Fishing Boats at L’Estaque by André Derain show the evolution of color and form towards more abstract and expressive styles such as Fovism, Cubism and Expressionism.
And what about Van Gogh and Matisse?
Although Van Gogh never considered himself a “pure” impressionist, his style and technique were deeply influenced by the movement. In this exhibition, his work stands out for the intensity of color and the strength of his brushstrokes. For him, nature was not only beauty, but a way of reflecting the cycles of human life.
Henri Matisse, on the other hand, is a key figure in this exhibition because he represents the bridge between impressionism and the avant-garde of the 20th century. His works here demonstrate how he took the chromatic freedom and luminous atmosphere of the Impressionists to develop his own visual language that influenced future generations.
When and how to visit?
The exhibition The Impressionist Revolution: From Monet to Matisse will be open until July 27, 2025 at the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes. You can visit it from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The general cost is 95 pesos, but if you go on Sunday, admission is free! But be prepared for a bit of a line, because this exhibition promises to be one of the busiest of the year.
A sensory and unforgettable experience
Beyond looking at paintings, this exhibition invites us to reflect on how art can transform the way we see the world. Curated by Nicole R. Myers, the exhibition seeks not only to showcase beautiful works, but also to connect with the emotion, sensitivity and passion with which these artists broke the mold.
To celebrate Impressionism is not only to look to the past, it is also to recognize how its legacy lives on in every free stroke, in every everyday scene turned into art, and in every soul that allows itself to be moved by the fleeting beauty of the world.
So now you know: Bellas Artes is waiting for you for a party of color, light and emotion, don’t miss it!
Source:
https://www.chilango.com/que-hacer/arte-y-cultura/la-revolucion-impresionista-exposicion-cdmx
