From Paris with Love

Paris in the 19th century and first half of the 20th century was the one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan of European cities. Leading the world in artistic innovation, Paris’s extraordinarily creative milieu is shown by the many movements that emerged in and around the city, including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, the Nabi, Fauvism, Cubism and Surrealism. Paris’s vibrant and bohemian lifestyle was famously captured in the bold and colourful lithographs of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Pierre Bonnard, displaying the late 19th century nightlife with its bright lights and dancing girls, and everyday street scenes and Parisian views. During the first half of the 20th century, the political and cultural climate of Europe ensured a steady influx of artists and immigrants to the metropolis. This led to the development of the School of Paris, a term loosely used to describe the many artists who arrived from countries such as Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe, including Marc Chagall, Jean Miró and, most famous of all, Pablo Picasso.

From Paris with Love: The Graphic Arts in France 1880s-1950s presents an array of prints, posters, drawings and artists’ books drawn from the NGV’s collection. The exhibition is particularly strong in prints, reflecting the remarkable boom in printmaking that occurred in France during this period, and especially in the 1890s.