The Berthe Morisot Impressionist Exhibition in Nice

The French Riviera is aglow with art and culture as it celebrates 150 years of Impressionism, with a special tribute to one of its most emblematic figures: Berthe Morisot. Until September 29, 2024, the Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret in Nice hosts an extraordinary exhibition dedicated to this pioneering artist, whose paintings capture the luminous essence and sweet life of the Côte d’Azur.

The retrospective, titled “Berthe Morisot in Nice, Impressionist Stops,” features a collection of around sixty works, sourced from major international cultural institutions such as the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Marmottan Monet, the Palais Princier of Monaco, the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, the National Museum of Stockholm, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Lyon. These masterpieces offer a comprehensive view of Morisot’s artistic production during her two stays in Nice in the winters of 1881-1882 and 1888-1889.

Among the exhibited works, “The Villas of Bordighera” by Claude Monet stands out, a masterpiece lent by the Musée d’Orsay in Paris for the occasion. This painting, displayed in a dedicated space, not only provides an intimate view of the Riviera but also pays tribute to the artistic and personal relationship between Monet and Morisot.

In addition to Morisot’s works, the exhibition highlights the extraordinary creativity of female painters during the Belle Époque. Works by artists such as Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzalès, and Louise Breslau, displayed alongside those of Morisot, testify to the talent and innovation of these women, often overshadowed in art history.

A Prestigious Event

The exhibition’s preview, held in June, attracted numerous prominent figures, including Princess Caroline of Monaco, the Mayor of Nice and President of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, Christian Estrosi, and Sylvain Amic, President of the public institution Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie.

The exhibition won’t stop in Nice. In October, it will continue its journey along the Riviera, arriving at the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, where the paintings will find an equally majestic setting in the palace’s sumptuous apartments.