Masterpieces From Paris: Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond

Editorial

When: 4 Dec 2009-18 Apr 2010
Where: National Gallery of Australia
Tickets: $6-55
Bookings: National Gallery of Australia (02) 6240-6411

Do you love the French Post-Impressionists, but have always thought you'd never get to see them because they're in Paris, and Paris is a long way away? Well, put away your art books and postcards and prints, because there's a very large Post-Impressionist wave on its way to Australia, and its making landfall only in Canberra!

In a world-first, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra hosts an exhibition of modern masterpieces. Masterpieces from Paris: Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and beyond features famous works from these artists, along with Seurat, Bonnard, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec and Vuillard among others will be on display for four months.

Thanks to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, 114 works, including Gauguin's Tahitian women and van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles, which explore the arrival of modern art in Europe, are going to be exhibited in Australia. It's the first time these Post-Impressionist works have been exhibited as a collection outside France, and coincides with renovations of the Post-Impressionist Gallery at the Musée d'Orsay. The touring exhibition makes its world premiere in Canberra,and will travel to Tokyo and San Francisco from there.

In the words of Arts Minister, Peter Garrett, “this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for art lovers and first-timers, students and families.” This is one exhibition you won't want to miss!

Due to the unprecedented popularity of the exhibition, the National Gallery has extended the exhibition out until 18 April, however it’s best to avoid weekends and try and get to the exhibition during the week days (Tuesday – Thursday is best) when it’s not so crowded. If you are planning on visiting the exhibition over the weekend, be sure and arrive early as the queues are expected to be approximately 2-3 hours long on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, however when our reviewer was waiting in line she was given free water and jelly beans to make the long wait a little easier!  

Of course one way to bypass the long lines is to become a member of the National Gallery ($55 per individual and $70 per couple per annum and includes a free ticket to the exhibition) and bypass the queue entirely. For those who have young kids in tow who might not be ready to fully appreciate the treasures on show, there is a fantastic children’s room within the exhibition that is open 10-3pm and has activities for children that are well organised and certainly worth a stop if you have kids with you.  

For more information, visit National Gallery of Australia

Tim Hunter, Citysearch