Top Five Museum Exhibitions in Paris for Fall 2018

By Richard Nahem Oct 3, 2018 11:52am

It’s a phenomenal fall season for art and culture in Paris for 2018. We’ve compiled a must-see list of the top five museum exhibitions below.

Alphonse Mucha

One of the most highly anticipated shows this year is Alfonse Mucha. Born in the Czech Republic in 1860, Mucha was a talented artist and graphic designer living in Prague. Moving to Paris in 1887 to further his art studies, Mucha, by a stroke of luck, was chosen to design a theater poster for the most famous stage actress in France, Sarah Bernhardt. The poster not only brought him a six-year contract with Bernhardt, it propelled him to fame and fortune. His ornate style of illustrating portraits of women surrounded by flowers and wearing flowing gowns became an overnight sensation, and named the Art Nouveau style. Expanding on his great talent, Mucha went on to design magazine ads and book illustrations along with commissions to design jewelry, carpets, wallpaper, and theatre sets. The exhibition features an all-inclusive overview of Mucha’s extensive work

Until January 27, 2019
Musee de Luxembourg -19 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006
https://www.grandpalais.fr/en/event/alphonse-mucha

Picasso Bleu et Rose

Two Paris museums, The Picasso and The Musee d’Orsay, join forces to present the blockbuster show of the season, Picasso Bleu et Rose. The exceptional exhibition is the first time Picasso’s entire body of work from 1900 to 1906, is being displayed. Picasso traveled between Paris and his native Spain, intensely painting hundreds of canvases and evolving his style.

Musee d’Orsay
1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007
http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html?cHash=1030a57d48

Jakuchū – The Colorful Realm of Living Beings

In a once in a lifetime opportunity, Paris is hosting an exclusive exhibition of a Japanese masterpiece never seen in the Europe before. Images of the Colorful Realm of Living Beings by Jakuchū, an artist from Kyoto, took over a decade to paint. It uses the flowers, fish and birds to further the Edo period style, an important art movement in Japan between the 17th and 20th century. The piece is laid out in thirty panels and is only on display for one month because if its fragility. The only other time The Colorful Realm of Living Beings has been moved was when it was shown in Washington, D.C., in 2012. Do not miss this rare experience.

Until October 14, 2018
Petit Palais
Avenue Winston Churchill 75008
http://www.petitpalais.paris.fr/en/expositions/jakuchu-1716-1800

Dazzling Venice. Venice, the Arts, and Europe in the Eighteenth Century

Also known as La Serenissima, Venice was an important capital for art and music in the 18th century. Painters such as Giambattista Tiepolo and Canaletto, sculptors Corradini and Brustolon, and composers Porpora, Hasse and Vivaldi created their finest work in this period. The Grand Palais revisits this rich chapter of artistry in a show featuring paintings, sculptures, drawings and live performances.

Until January 21, 2019
Grand Palais
3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008
https://www.grandpalais.fr/en/event/magnificent-venice

Yves Saint Laurent: Dreams of the Orient

In 2017, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum opened in Paris. The museum is dedicated to the work of master couturier and fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, the greatest designer of the 20th century. Housing over 50 years of Saint Laurent’s collections in their archives, the museum presents revolving exhibitions of his work in different periods and decades. Saint Laurent was highly influenced by foreign cultures and Dreams of the Orient focuses on his love of India, China and Japan. Approximately 50 haute couture designs show the dramatic effect on his designs. Asian artworks from private collectors and the Guimet Asian Art Museum in Paris are shown in conjunction with the clothing.

October 2, 2018 until January 27, 2018
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
5 avenue Marceau, 75116
https://museeyslparis.com/en/