If you’ve ever found yourself geeking over Van Gogh’s unique brush strokes or Cézanne’s calming landscapes, continue reading. The Louvre Abu Dhabi has unveiled its latest exhibition, “Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances,” a showcase of masterpieces by some of the most celebrated figures of the movement—many of which are being displayed in the region for the very first time.
In addition to van Gogh and Cézanne, the exhibit features icons such as Georges Seurat, Henri-Edmond Cross, Emile Bernard, Paul Sérusier, Paul Gauguin, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec—artists who collectively reshaped the visual landscape at the close of the 19th century.
Curated by Jean-Rémi Touzet, painting curator at Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, and Jérôme Farigoule, chief curator at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the exhibition is held in collaboration with the Musée d’Orsay and France Museums. Running until Feb. 9, the showcase offers a rare opportunity to witness the works of these transformative artists in the UAE.
“Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances” comes exactly two years after the Louvre Abu Dhabi‘s “Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity” exhibit, which chronicled the revolution sparked by artists like Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who boldly left the studio to paint outdoors, challenging the rigid conventions of the 19th-century Paris Salon.
The post-impressionists were no less revolutionary. Rather than a unified movement, they formed a network of artists who shared common ideals and often crossed paths—sometimes in harmony, sometimes in conflict. These artists sought new ways to exhibit their work, often opting for unconventional venues like cafés, deliberately distancing themselves from the traditional art world’s restrictions.
This decentralizing spirit is mirrored in the exhibition’s layout. With sections dedicated to Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Cézanne, visitors can explore the galleries as they branch out from a central rotunda. Each route offers a unique journey, such as the path to Cézanne’s section, which features his famous “Mont Sainte-Victoire”—a recurring muse throughout his career.
At the heart of the exhibition is an interactive console, offering in-depth insights into the lives and works of the post-impressionist masters. Their personal palettes are also on display, allowing visitors to stand just inches away from the very tools that shaped their revolutionary art.
A highlight towards the exhibition’s close is the work of French-Egyptian artist Georges Hanna Sabbagh. Two of his paintings from the early 1920s depict scenes of family life through a post-impressionist lens, a nod to his artistic training with members of Les Nabis, such as Paul Sérusier and Félix Vallotton.
