Women Impressionists and the Land

Women Impressionists and the Land is the first exhibition to focus on landscape and nature imagery in the work of the women Impressionists. Rather than concentrating on the domestic subject matter of these artists, which has been widely discussed, this Museum-organized show explores the less documented outdoor spaces that were painted by the key women in the group, particularly Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Marie Bracquemond, and Blanche Hoschedé-Monet.

The exhibition explores the way in which landscape and nature imagery contributed to the rise in status of women artists in France during the years 1860–1910. It examines a range of works by the women Impressionists, focusing especially on the work of Morisot, who trained with her sister Edma as a landscape painter and saw landscape and nature imagery as a central part of her practice. Also included are related works by officially recognized Salon artists, such as Rosa Bonheur.

The exhibition comprises around 70 works in different media and examines favored iconographical themes, such as the painting of marine and agricultural scenes, and parks and gardens. Central is imagery of a domesticated nature, such as Morisot’s paintings of the Bois de Boulogne, Bracquemond’s pictures at Sèvres, and Cassatt’s views at the Château de Beaufresne after 1894.

After closing in St. Louis, the SLAM-organized exhibition will travel to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, where it will open March 6, 2027.

Women Impressionists and the Land is curated by Simon Kelly, curator of modern and contemporary art, with curatorial assistant Abigail Yoder.

Exhibition sponsorship

The exhibition is sponsored with generous support from the Edward L. Bakewell, Jr. Endowment for Special Exhibitions. Additional support provided by the PNC Foundation, Katherine Kreusser Young, and donors to the Plein Air Society.

Major Sponsors

Edward L. Bakewell, Jr. Endowment for Special Exhibitions

Supporting Sponsor

Katherine Kreusser Young

Plein Air Society

The Daniel & Henry Co., Jean Daniel-Gentry and Hal Gentry, Dede Farquhar, the Greg and Becky Smith Family Foundation, and Susan E. Stiritz.

Catalogue

Women Impressionists and the Land is the first book to focus on landscape and nature imagery in the work of the women Impressionists. Available in October 2026, the book features a range of essays by leading scholars of French Impressionism.

Catalogue

School and group visits

The Saint Louis Art Museum will offer early hours for school groups to visit Women Impressionists and the Land before the Museum opens to the public. For more information on free admission to ticketed exhibitions and transportation assistance for schools, visit the school group page.

The Museum can also accommodate groups up to 75 people at one time. Larger groups will be asked to split into different rotations. All groups, whether self-guided or led by a volunteer educator, must contact the Museum at least four weeks in advance to arrange a group visit. Please note that ticketed exhibitions have limited capacity.

Please complete this form to schedule a school or other group visit to the Saint Louis Art Museum.

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