The black model from Géricault to Matisse

May 08, 2019

From the French Revolution to the abolition of slavery in 1848, from the slave revolt of Santo Domingo in 1791 to the appearance of negritude in the 1930s, this almost century and a half is the privileged witness of tensions, the struggles and debates occasioned by the birth of democratic modernity, which the world of images has taken on and fed. Slowly he sees affirmation, despite all sorts of reticence and obstacles, black iconography, and even identity. Carried by three highlights - the time of the abolition of slavery (1794-1848), the time of the New Painting (Manet, Bazille, Degas, Cézanne) and the time of the first avant-gardes of the twentieth century - this exhibition offers a new look at a subject long neglected: the important contribution of black people and personalities to the history of the arts.

The choice of a singular title, despite the diversity of representations, seeks to emphasize the different meanings of the term "model", which can be understood as "artist model" as well as exemplary figure. Men and women of color, many have crossed the path of artists and have forged relationships with them. Who are they, those forgotten in the story of modernity? So many people we tried to give back a name, a story, and visibility.

From the stereotype to the individual, from ignorance to recognition, this exhibition tries to trace this long process, and tries to highlight one of the greatest un-seen and unspoken in the history of art , again revealing this discipline as a mirror of ideas and sensibilities, and thus affirming the deep ties of continuity that unite the nineteenth century to the twentieth century, up to our time

Exhibition Dates: Until 21st July 2019

Exhibition Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 9.30am to 6pm (Thursday 9.45pm)

Venue: Orsay Museum, 62, rue de Lille, 75343 Paris 

Directions - https://tinyurl.com/y37bsn36 

Website - www.musee-orsay.fr 

 

 

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