Three Hundred Years of French Painting

The "Three Hundred Years of French Painting" exhibition which opened at the National Palace Museum (NPM) November 15th has been organized jointly by the NPM, the French Institute in Taipei and the United Daily News Group, and will run for a total of four months, until February 27th, 2002.

The exhibition displays 80 individual works covering 300 years, from the 17th to the early 20th century. The curator of the exhibition, Phillipe Durey, executive secretary of the French Museum Association, has divided it into seven distinct periods: the Grand Siecle, the Age of Pleasure, Antiquarianism and Heroism, the Romantic Era, Realism, the Glory of Impressionism, and Nature and Ideal. This affords an appreciation for the chronological changes in French art, showing masterpieces from different periods, schools and styles. Visitors can also focus more closely on the work of individual painters, or such themes as still lifes or landscapes. The exhibit features works by a collection of world-famous artists from Poussin to Cezanne, including Jean-Francois Millet, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh. Each painting is an important representative piece of its era.

One example is the late-17th-century "Portrait of a Woman with Her Child." Baroque artist Pierre Mignard portrays the figures in luxuriant and refined detail. The popularity of portraits at the time led to them being criticized as exercises in vanity and shallowness. Nevertheless, the expert technique and tasteful execution make up for any lack of originality and our poor understanding of the people portrayed.

In the 18th century artists in Europe were influenced by rapid social and political change. The intellectual heritage of the Renaissance and attempts to directly learn from the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome created a New Classicism, centered around Jacques-Louis David, a departure from Baroque and Rococo. Works such as Millet's "Shepherdess with Her Flock", Degas' "The Dancing Class" and Theodore Gericault's "The Madwoman" set important standards for the period in which they appeared. The key role played by France in the art history of Europe, offers a microcosm of the development of Western painting in general. As such, this exhibition also offers a broad introduction to the history of Western art.

Current NPM director Tu Cheng-sheng has worked hard to bring an exhibition of French painting to Taiwan, and "Three Hundred Years of French Painting" is described by some as a "dream exhibition." At the same time, a "Jean Renoir Film Festival" is also being held, showing work by the world-famous director (and son of Pierre Auguste Renoir) at 3:00 p.m. each Monday, free of charge.

The infinite vitality and energy of French culture holds many lessons for Taiwan in its efforts to "promote art and local culture." Tchen Yu-chiou, chairperson of the Council for Cultural Affairs, lived in France for many years and took the opportunity afforded by the exhibition to organize a "Dialogue between Reason and Perception," attended by Francine Mariani-Ducray and Philippe Durey, respectively chairperson and executive director of the French National Museum Association, Robert Lion, chairman of the French Art Promotion Association, and Elisabeth Laurin, director of the French Institute in Taipei. These special guests discussed the experience of France in promoting art appreciation, museum collections, curatorial policy and French culture.

The French National Museum Association, established in 1895, currently represents 33 national museums and is responsible for procuring and managing national art collections. The association also organizes special exhibitions and events. Directly under the Ministry of Culture's Museum Council, it lends its experience and expertise to private museums when jointly organizing or assisting with exhibitions. This helps elevate the role of private museums in France and sustains a rich and diverse museum culture.

The French Art Activity Association, established in 1922, promotes French culture and art around the world. It works in concert with the French foreign ministry and has organized overseas employees into a close-knit network, with nearly 500 diplomatic staff, cultural advisors and experts involved. At the same time, French nationals living overseas are also an important source of information for performance and art organizations back home.

The masterpieces are a direct product of the conflux of history and talented artists. This sort of cultural banquet deserves to be savored. Visitors are in for a special treat as the museums of France share their wealth of cultural treasures with the people of Taiwan.

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Shown here is "The Broken Pot," by 18th-century painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze, who was active during the reign of Louis XV. Greuze's work appears in the current exhibit in the period classed by the curator as the "Age of Pleasure." The girl's sensuous dress and the broken pot symbolize the loss of her virginity. (courtesy of National Palace Museum)