This spring, step into a vibrant, transforming Paris—a New Paris. In New Paris: from Monet to Morisot, witness how the city, in the midst of the 19th century, evolves into the place we recognize today but never fully grasp. See through the eyes of the Impressionists—Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas, Bazille, Caillebotte, Cassatt, and Morisot—and let yourself be carried away in Félix Nadar’s hot air balloon. With its radiant splendour and its history of revolt, Paris continues to enchant us.

Together at last

In 1867, Claude Monet painted the view of Paris from a balcony at the Louvre. With this work, he literally turned his back on classical art to admire and capture the bustling life in the streets. Monet placed his own world at the forefront. The result was three paintings: "This is my here and now," Monet must have thought. These three cityscapes, reunited through close collaboration with the Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin) and the Allen Memorial Art Museum (Oberlin, Ohio), will finally be reunited in New Paris: from Monet to Morisot.

You'll see, everyone will be talking about us.

(Frédéric Bazille)

The world is your oyster

These three masterpieces form the centerpiece of this major Impressionist exhibition, surrounded by a broader narrative: what we cherish about the city and what was collectively swept under the rug. Paris, during these years, is alive, teeming with energy—the world is your oyster. A "livable" city plagued by growing pains, pushing those with the least to its fringes. War and political unrest left lasting scars. Exploitation coexisted with an ever-hopeful gaze toward an uncertain future.

La parisienne

The fashionable Parisienne became the embodiment of this new Paris. Suddenly, there were public spaces like department stores and theaters that offered her newfound freedoms. It was a world of seeing and being seen. Changing times were reflected in fashion, visible in the streetscape. In Paris, the new woman was everywhere—those who wore couture, those who made it, those who depicted it, and those who observed it, stirring reactions in turn. Yet, artists like Morisot and Cassatt were still barred from cafés alongside their male colleagues—still a social taboo. While Manet and Renoir often portrayed the Parisienne as a symbol or type of the city, Cassatt and Morisot depicted women as individuals.

Living, shopping, toiling

New Paris was built by the grit of hardworking people. Thousands of masons, carpenters, and other laborers drew to the city—but it was a city built for the wealthy. In New Paris: from Monet to Morisot, you’ll not only see the rise of leisure and advertising but also the faces of those overlooked at the time. Those that made everything possible, who never got to taste of its luxury.

A promising future

The world was restless. Prussia besieged the French capital, and the beautiful new boulevards, squares, and parks were ravaged. Many lost their lives, and the Tuileries Palace was engulfed in flames. But Monet, standing on that balcony in 1867, could not have known this. He gazed upon the enchanting city and its promising future. For the Impressionists, the time of change was within reach. Bazille was confident about their impact: "You'll see, everyone will be talking about us."

This exhibition is a treasure trove of paintings, drawings, and photographs, supplemented with posters, letters, and satirical prints to capture Paris in 1867 in full colour. The exhibition is supported by numerous museum and private lenders, with partners including Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin), Allen Memorial Art Museum (Oberlin), and others such as Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris (Paris), The National Gallery of Art (Washington), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Musée d’Orsay (Paris), Musée Marmottan Monet (Paris), Museum Barberini (Potsdam), and many other collections.