Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926; Water Lilies (detail), 1914–1917; oil on canvas; 59 7/16 x 79 1/8 inches; Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris 2023.96; © Musée Marmottan Monet, Academie des beaux-arts, Paris
Monet/Mitchell: Painting the French Landscape
March 25–June 25, 2023- Location
- Entrance in Taylor Hall, East Building
That Monet came so close to complete abstraction is just one surprise in this beautiful, uplifting exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum.
Judith H. Dobrzynski, The Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2023
Offering a fresh view of two of the most experimental painters of the 20th century, Monet/Mitchell: Painting the French Landscape is the first exhibition in the United States to examine the complex dialogue between the work of the French Impressionist Claude Monet and the American Abstract Expressionist Joan Mitchell.
The Saint Louis Art Museum will celebrate Monet/Mitchell with a free, public preview starting at 4 pm on Friday, March 24, 2023.
The exhibition explores the ways in which Monet and Mitchell engaged with the French landscape. Monet spent his final decades in rural Giverny, some 50 miles to the northwest of Paris, while, from 1968 until 1992, Mitchell lived at nearby Vétheuil, overlooking a house once inhabited by the French painter. Both artists addressed similar themes of trees, earth, water, and flowers as well as the inspiration of their own gardens. The exhibition explores the connections, both in subject matter and technique, that Mitchell shared with Monet. It also shows how her compositional formats, vibrant color, and gestural brushwork offer fascinating parallels with Monet’s.
Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926; Water Lilies, 1914–1917; oil on canvas; 59 7/16 x 79 1/8 inches; Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris 2023.96; © Musée Marmottan Monet, Academie des beaux-arts, Paris
“Monet/Mitchell” ought to be in the curatorial handbook of how to make an argument with objects: their shared sensibility is wholly irrefutable the minute you enter the galleries, and its significance deepens the closer you look, the more you read.
Emily Watlington, Art in America, May 12, 2023
Monet/Mitchell will present 24 paintings, 12 by each artist. Often monumental in scale and overwhelming in impact, these works highlight the fascination both painters had for expansive, panoramic formats.
The Monet paintings come primarily from the Musée Marmottan Monet, which houses the largest collection of Monet’s work in the world. The paintings by Mitchell are principally drawn from the collection of the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The exhibition will also include two major works from the Saint Louis Art Museum’s own collection: Water Lilies, by Monet, and Ici, one of Mitchell’s poignant final paintings.
Monet/Mitchell will feature a robust schedule of community and educational programs along with special opportunities for visitors to engage deeply with the works on view, exploring the restorative and meditative potential of these beautiful paintings.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a scholarly catalog, published by Hirmer, with contributions from Simon Kelly and curators from the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Musée Marmottan Monet.
Monet/Mitchell is curated in St. Louis by Simon Kelly, curator of Modern and Contemporary art, and presented in partnership with the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Musée Marmottan Monet.
Joan Mitchell, American (active France), 1925–1992; River, 1989; oil on canvas; diptych: 110 1/4 inches x 13 feet, 1 1/2 inches; Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris 2023.114a,b; © Estate of Joan Mitchell
Monumental in scale and overwhelming in impact, the works in the exhibition highlight their shared fascination for expansive, panoramic formats, and their equal mastery of light, color and expressive brushwork.
Chadd Scott, Forbes, March 26, 2023
Generous support has been provided by our presenting sponsors, LVMH / Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Bank of America.
Audio guide
The exhibition audio guide offers multiple voices on the dialogue between the work of French Impressionist Claude Monet and the American Abstract Expressionist Joan Mitchell. Listen to the director’s welcome, curator Simon Kelly, museum scholars, and experts in music, horticulture, and art as they share their perspectives on art and nature.
Virtual tour
Click on icons located within the galleries to access introductory wall panels and a close-up view of each artwork and the accompanying label text. A selection of artworks have links to audio recordings and corresponding transcripts, and icons linked to videos and PDFs also provide additional information.
Close Look: Claude Monet’s Water Lilies
This self-guided digital experience gives a glimpse into the details of Monet’s Water Lilies. Scroll through the page to learn about his Giverny garden, the history of the painting, technical analysis, the horticultural choices, and the revisions to create the work.