Celebrating 140 Years of Korea-France Relations
51 Oil Paintings and 70 Videos and Photographs on Display
Signature Works from the Mus?e de l'Orangerie Debut in Korea
To mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, masterpieces from France's leading national art museums will be showcased in Korea. Works by Paul Cezanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, iconic figures of Impressionism, as well as pieces by Pablo Picasso, who inherited their artistic legacy, will be released at the Seoul Arts Center.
The Seoul Arts Center and GNC Media announced that they will host the "Orangerie - Orsay Museum Special Exhibition: Cezanne, Renoir" at the Hangaram Design Museum of the Seoul Arts Center from September 20, 2025, to January 25, 2026. The exhibition will feature more than 120 works, including 51 oil paintings, along with approximately 70 related videos and photographs.
This special exhibition is jointly curated by the Mus?e d'Orsay and the Mus?e de l'Orangerie, two of France's most renowned national museums. It is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first time that signature works from the Mus?e de l'Orangerie are being introduced in Korea. Nearly a decade after the "Mus?e d'Orsay Exhibition" held at the Hangaram Art Museum of the Seoul Arts Center in 2016, masterpieces from France's national museums will once again be presented on a large scale in Korea.
The exhibition centers on the two masters of Impressionism, Paul Cezanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Although they began in the same era and artistic movement, the two artists developed distinctly different styles, which will be compared and contrasted in this exhibition. Renoir's canvases are characterized by a warm and harmonious sensibility, while Cezanne's works stand out for their rigorous and structural form.
Additionally, works by Pablo Picasso, who was deeply influenced by both Cezanne and Renoir, will also be on display. Picasso was so fond of their art that he personally collected their works; he inherited the foundations of Cubism from Cezanne and the originality of portrait expression from Renoir. This exhibition is expected to provide a rare opportunity to explore the artistic lineage from Impressionism to Cubism in one place.
Prior to the official opening, C?cile Girardeau, a curator from the Mus?e de l'Orangerie and co-organizer of the exhibition, will give a special lecture on September 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The lecture is free of charge, and up to 80 people can attend on a first-come, first-served basis through Naver reservation.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
