Louvre Abu Dhabi post-impressionism exhibition brings Van Gogh and Seurat masterpieces to the UAE


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

Despite what its title suggests, Vincent van Gogh’s The Siesta is rife with movement. The hay field ripples with shimmering shades of gold, and the clothes of the snoozing farmers rustle with the breeze.

The Siesta is Van Gogh’s interpretation of an 1866 canvas by Jean-Francois Millet. However, where Millet’s version is honed with realist sensibilities, Van Gogh’s takes on the peaceful scene with feverish intensity. The work was painted between 1889 and 1890, during the time Van Gogh was interned at an asylum in the French commune of Saint-Remy-de-Provence.

It is a potent example of the alchemy that preoccupied the post-impressionist painters – to take a scene and transmute it with an almost mystical flair through unconventional techniques and colour choices.

The Siesta is one of three works by Van Gogh to be featured in a new exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Running until February 9, Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances brings together a collection of masterpieces that offers a sharp insight into one of history's most affecting artistic eras. It also shows how the legacy of the post-impressionists was not limited to Europe and even touched on the Middle East.

The exhibition, developed in partnership with Musee d’Orsay and France Museums, is put together by Jean-Remi Touzet, curator of paintings at Musee d’Orsay, and Jerome Farigoule, chief curator at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances comes exactly two years after Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity. The 2022 exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi showed how a group of painters that included Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley and Pierre-Auguste Renoir ventured out of the studio to paint outdoors. In the process, they challenged the artistic norms of the time and the conventions of the rigid 19th-century Paris Salon, which was the official exhibitor of the storied Academie des Beaux-Arts and the then-gatekeeper of the art world.

Vincent van Gogh's The Bedroom at Arles is also on display. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Vincent van Gogh's The Bedroom at Arles is also on display. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The post-impressionists were just as revolutionary. They were not so much a movement as a network of artists with similar interests and principles, whose careers often converged with camaraderie as well as drama.

A foundational figure of the post-impressionists was Georges Seurat. The painter was one of the first to want to venture beyond the tenets of impressionism. For one thing, he opted to not mix his colours on his palette, but rather divide them on the canvas and let the eye blend them instead.

This pointillist technique is seen in Seurat’s Port-en-Bassein, Outer Harbour, High Tide. The 1888 painting shows a seascape off the Normandy village after which it is named. From afar, the vibrant view is seen with a grainy texture, perhaps evoking the sensation of a light mist during the day. Approach the canvas and the colours separate with molecular grace, and you begin seeing varying shades of brown, red, blue and green. Even the frame itself is painted a deep navy blue and with dots of pink, red and ochre. The frame seems to be an important part of the work – presenting the scene with the dramatic flair of a theatre curtain.

Georges Seurat, Port-en-Bessin, Outer Harbour, High Tide. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Georges Seurat, Port-en-Bessin, Outer Harbour, High Tide. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Port-en-Bassein was produced just two years after the 1886 exhibition at Rue Laffitte which marked the end of impressionism and the beginning of a new movement.

“The impressionists were divided by then,” Touzet says. "Some of them wanted to go in the official salon, like Monet, he wanted to get more recognition. Whereas others, like Edgar Degas, wanted to remain independent.”

The post-impressionists took their cue from the latter, cherishing their independence and taking it as an opportunity to experiment and push the envelope that the impressionists had put down. Not that the salon would have accepted them anyway.

“A lot of them were self taught,” Touzet says. “In 1884, the impressionist groups created a new salon called the exhibition of independence. It was a free jury, so everyone could exhibit their work. There were a lot of artists, and not all so good. But the Salon des Independants was very important for all the avant garde and Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and other artists exhibited here.”

Galleries dedicated to the artist branch out from a central rotunda that features an interactive table. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Galleries dedicated to the artist branch out from a central rotunda that features an interactive table. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The post-impressionists often tried to find new avenues to present their works, such as cafes, further seeking to break the conventions of the art world of the time. The exhibition takes a cue from this decentralised spirit in its scenography. There are sections dedicated to Van Gogh, Gaugin, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Cezanne, among others.

However, visitors can navigate these spaces in several ways as the galleries branch out from a central rotunda. Go left, and you'll be in the section dedicated to Cezanne, with a series of works that include Mont Sainte-Victoire, a painting dedicated to the mountain that was a lifelong inspiration to the artist.

Ahead is Van Gogh’s wing, where you’ll find his fabled Bedroom in Arles, with mystifying and alluring furniture depictions that break from realistic angles of perception. Toulouse-Lautrec’s section features the motley cabaret and theatre performers the artist was famous for depicting. In the section dedicated to Gaugin, you'll find his famous Arearea, a case study of the artist's penchant for mixing cultural motifs that were foreign to him.

This free mobility between the sections is a somewhat novel structure for an exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Moving away from a linear approach serves the exhibition well, particularly as it helps visitors understand the points of connection between the artists and how they influenced one another, to truly see them as "a constellation" more than a movement, says Aisha Al Ahmadi, curatorial assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

“This exhibition is the first of its kind in the region, but abroad, there have been multiple post-impressionist exhibitions,” Al Ahmadi says. “We wanted a fresh way to present the content. You have freedom to move in and out of the sections.”

The central rotunda also features an interactive console that delves into the histories of each of the post-impressionist artists. Their palettes are also displayed, meaning visitors are just a pane away from the wooden slabs that these masters used to paint.

Paul Gauguin, Arearea. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Paul Gauguin, Arearea. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“The mediation table is content heavy,” Al Ahmadi says. “It allows you to read a little bit about the different sections and then decide where you want to go next. We're focusing on different styles and different artists who were working at the same time period, but not necessarily a part of the same movement. They didn't consider themselves a movement. They were sending real letters to each other. They were exhibiting sometimes together. They were giving each other guidance. They were friends turned enemies. There was a lot of drama and mystery around the group.”

Towards the end of the exhibition, two works by the French-Egyptian artist Georges Hanna Sabbagh are displayed. The two paintings were created in 1920 and 1921 and feature the artist and his family, albeit depicted in a manner that draws from post-impressionist styles. It isn’t surprising, given Sabbagh studied with figures from the post-impressionist group Les Nabis, including Paul Serusier and Felix Vallotton.

“These are some of the later paintings that we have in the exhibition,” Al Ahmadi says. “We wanted to essentially talk about the true influence of post Impressionism, and do something that the Louvre Abu Dhabi always tries to do, which is to broaden the art history canon.”

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Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
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  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
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Neil Thomson – THE BIO

Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.

Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.

Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.

Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.

Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

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Dunki
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The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Simran

Director Hansal Mehta

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey

Three stars

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Abramovich London

A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.

A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.

Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.

Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Updated: October 17, 2024, 10:51 AM`