The Musée d'Orsay recently held a much-anticipated exhibition titled "Impressionist, Birth of a Movement," commemorating the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition.
The Impressionist movement revolutionized the art world, and this exhibition promised a deep dive into its origins.
With high expectations, I ventured to the Musée d'Orsay to experience this celebration of artistic rebellion. Unfortunately, the reality fell short of the hype, and the following review details my experience.
Oh ! Just before you deep in, I posted a 2-minutes video on Instagram if you cannot visit the exhibition physically ! :)
Overall rating: 11/20
Interest: 4/4
We’re celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition
It’s important and relevant topic both historically and for the public
Quality of the artworks: 2/4
Positive point: the presence of important works from the Musée d'Orsay's permanent collection.
Negative point: less visibility for these works during the temporary exhibition.
Lack of major works loaned by other institutions.
Quality of the scenography: 2/4
Difficulty in understanding the logical link of the exhibition without guidance.
Lack of clarity and coherence in the itinerary.
Unoriginal and uninvolving presentation. The presentation of Impression, Sunrise - the painting that gave its name to the Impressionist mouvement - is presented at the end of the exhibition .. Why is it not at the beginning ?!
Pedagogical and emotional impact: 1/2
The exhibition does not offer any particularly unforgettable or emotionally powerful moments.
Lack of educational tools to deepen the discovery of the subject.
Visiting experience: 0/2
Poor organization on the opening day (endless waiting, poorly managed queues) - and on the other days .. If you plan to visit, go on a Thursday nocturnal.
Discomfort of the visit (cramped space, excessive heat).
Expectation vs Reality: 1/2
All the conferences proposed by the museum for this exhibition are all focusing on Impressionism : Impressionism & Seasons, Impressionism & Cinema, Impressionism & Technics, etc
The marketing was also focusing on this famous date, 15th April 1874, when the first Impressionist Exhibition opened.Therefore, I was expecting a reproduction of this mythical exhibition. What else should I expect from the biggest impressionist museum in the world ?
Unfortunately, the exhibition isn’t doing that at all … I would have preferred to have the exhibition branded this way : a mere state of the art of painting in France in 1874
WOW effect: 1/2
The exhibition did not provoke any particular WOW effect.
The feeling of disappointment is predominant for me. Maybe am I already used to these impressionists paintings ? I don’t think so. I just felt that I had already seen 80% of the artworks presented, either in Orsay or Marmottan-Monet museums.
Desire to return ? NO (and YES)
The experience does not make you want to come back to visit the exhibition.
The museum proposes a complementary immersive virtual experience, that brings you back 150 years ago, and I believe this one could be really great.
Would I bring my kids ? NO
Again, the experience lived does not make you want to bring your kids to the exhibition. Also, they won’t see anything with the crowd.
My conclusion:
The exhibition "Impressionist, Birth of a Movement" is a disappointment.
While the subject is interesting and relevant, the quality of the scenography, the absence of major works and the poor visiting experience make this exhibition a hardly recommendable experience.
Still, I will go again, mainly to experience the “immersive expedition in virtual reality” : Tonight with the Impressionists. The museum offers us the possibility to enter the hushed atmosphere of the first Impressionist exhibition - reconstructed for the very first time - and meet the painters when they were still young artist.
I’m very excited by this experience, and I am sure it will improve my opinion on the exhibition ! We’ll talk about it another time !
Note :
This is my first review, so obviously it cannot be perfect.
I tried to reflect through these key points my feeling and experience of that visit. It may change for the next reviews, but the overall rating (11/20) fits my general idea of that exhibition. If you happen to be in Paris, and are brave enough to queue to see it, that’s a good exhibition. Otherwise, if you miss it, you definitely won’t have nightmares about it.By the way, is it even possible to rate an exhibition ? I’m not sure yet, so let me know what you think in the comments.