Paris’ 10 best art exhibitions: Winter 2019/2020

What better way to pass the cold winter months than warming up in galleries and museums around Paris while you take in the 2019/2020 winter season’s best art exhibitions! Artalistic has compiled a list of must-see shows for the upcoming cultural season.

2019/2020-art exhibition calendar – Shows ending in January and February

We recently published an article about the best fall 2019 art exhibitions and the upcoming winter season is filled with equally rich and engaging shows!

The Great Naïve Masters at Musée Maillol until January 19, 2020

Located on rue de Grenelle in Paris, Musée Maillol’s key exhibition focuses on the great masters of naïve art. These works have been brought together in Paris for the first time thanks to this colorful and exceptional show. This art exhibition, open during the winter 2019/2020 season, is the best way to see pieces by Rousseau, Bauchant, Bombois, Desnos, Ève, Louis, Rimbert, Peyronnet and Vivin under one roof.

This is a fabulous opportunity to learn about these artists and their attempt to capture the world in a naïve, childlike manner. Pieces that stand out include Dominique Peyronnet’s soft seascapes, Séraphine Louis’ bouquets of flowers and Douanier Rousseau’s famous exotic tropical forests.

Degas at the Opera showing at the Musée d’Orsay until January 19, 2020: Must see art exhibition

If you are looking to immerse yourself in Degas’ universe then this is the best art exhibition for you! Open until January 19, 2020 at the Musée d’Orsay, this show is the first to focus solely on Degas’ Opera themed work. From his debut in the 1860s to his final works circa 1900, Degas often used the Palais Garnier Opera in Paris as the central stage for his paintings. This exhibition shows his capacity to capture intimate moments both on stage and in the world behind the curtains. Degas immortalized an important fragment of Parisian life during that era, suspending spectators, dancers and musicians in delicate compositions for us to relive. 

Charlotte Perriand: Inventing a New World at Fondation Louis Vuitton until February 24, 2020

Design and sculpture lovers will thoroughly enjoy this must see art exhibition on display at the Louis Vuitton Foundation until February 2020. It is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Charlotte Perriand’s death. Perriand was an eminent female architect during the 20^th century. A leading contributor to the definition of a new art de vivre, Charlotte Perriand’s work is renowned for its minimalist decoration.

The Golden Age of English Painting at the Musée du Luxembourg until February 16, 2020

The masters of English painting will be in the spotlight at the Musée du Luxembourg throughout the winter 2019/2020 season. This art exhibition is the best if you are looking for a show that highlights a pivotal period in British painting – from the 1760s to 1820. It features painters such as Reynolds, Gainsborough, Turner, John Hopper, William Beechey and Thomas Lawrence. The show covers various themes, including: family, childhood and nature. It also features great political figures such as George Stubbs, George Morland, Henri Fuseli and John Martin.

The Alana Collection: Masterpieces of Italian Painting at Musée Jacquemart-André until January 20, 2020

The Alana Collection at Musée Jacquemart-André focuses on the Italian masters of the Renaissance – don’t miss this rare chance to see these works. This is without question one of the best art exhibitions the winter 2019/2020 season has to offer! The pieces featured in this exhibit are on loan from a private American collectior, making this a truly once-in-a-lifetime chance for Parisians to see this stunning collection. It regroups 80 masterpieces from some of the greatest Italian painters, including: Lorenzo Monaco, Fra Angelico, Uccello, Lippi, Bellini, Carpaccio, Tintoretto, Veronese, Bronzino and Gentileschi.

Art exhibitions open until March 2020

Pierre Soulages at the Musée du Louvre: December 11, 2019 - March 9, 2020

This retrospective exhibition at the Louvre covers Pierre Soulages' phenomenal career in honor of his 100^th birthday. Paintings have been brought from French and foreign museums for this occasion. Pierre Soulages is known as a “painter of black and light” and is a major artist whose work focuses on non-figurative painting. It is important to note that some of his greatest collections are on display at the Musée Soulages located in the South of France in the artist’s hometown of Rodez.

The Unexpected Dialogues Tyson/Monet at Musée Marmottan Monet until March 1^st, 2020

Tyson, inventor of The Art Machine, takes his place in the spotlight at Musée Marmottan Monet. This retrospective features works by Jean Monet, the master of light, and Keith Tyson, a science enthusiast. This exhibition invites the viewer to weave between pieces by the two artists as they go on an interpretive journey through time and space. This must-see art exhibition will stay on display for the entire winter 2019/2020 season.  

Versailles Revival 1867-1937 at the Palace of Versailles until March 15, 2020

The Palace of Versailles was so influential that it created an entire movement in painting. Versailles Revival 1867-1937 showcases approximately 350 pieces that capture the passion, curiosity and excitement that surrounded the Palace of Versailles during this period. If you are planning on visiting the Palace you should not miss this exhibit!  

Barbara Hepworth at the Musée Rodin until March 22, 2020

This exhibition is a fabulous opportunity to see pieces by a sculptor whose body of work is not very well known in France. Barbara Hepworth is a major figure in 20^th century British sculpture. Hepworth is known for her contribution to a new aesthetic approach that used abstract elements to capture a certain naïve sensibility. Her unique vision of the world often features animals and plants. The Musée Rodin exhibited Hepworth’s work during her lifetime almost 60 years ago, so it seemed only natural to reintroduce her poetic art to the French public with this exciting new exhibition.

James Tissot at the Musée d'Orsay: March 24 – July 19, 2020

The upcoming exhibition dedicated to James Tissot (1836-1902) will open at the end of the 2020 winter season. A major artist of the second half of the 19^th century, Tissot is both an ambiguous and fascinating character. This is the first retrospective of his work to take place in over 30 years; the last retrospective of his work was shown at the Petit Palais in 1985. Tissot was known in the best circles of Paris as a genre painter who often depicted fashionably dressed women. He also painted scenes from the Bible.