It may come as a surprise to read that France has never devoted a solo exhibition to famed 19th-century academic painter Charles Gleyre, who mentored Monet, Jean-Léon Gérôme, James McNeill Whistler, and Renoir. Will the narrative change?
Swiss academic painter Charles Gleyre (1808-1874) isn’t one of the names most often mentioned in the history of art, but his legacy — and artworks — often speak for themselves. Supremely gifted and academically trained, Gleyre produced some outstanding mythological and figurative narratives that compare in quality to William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s work.
Charles Gleyre, “Evening, or Lost Illusions,” oil on canvas, 23 1/4 x 41 1/2 in. (c) ARC 2016, private collection
To the surprise of many, the nation of France — which was Gleyre’s home for much of his life — has yet to devote a solo exhibition to the painter. That will finally change on May 10, when the Musée d’Orsay opens “Charles Gleyre: The Reformed Romantic.” The exhibition will feature an outstanding number of canonical paintings through the museum’s own collection and major loans. The show will highlight 20th-century scholarship on the artist by Michel Thevoz, who offered fresh interpretations on Gleyre’s semiotics, including a psychoanalytical approach.
Charles Gleyre, “The Bath,” 1868, oil on canvas, 35 1/2 x 25 in. (c) Chrysler Museum of Art 2016
Needless to say, the museum is energized at the prospect of offering its patrons a unique chance to engage with the multi-layered and complex illusions of academicism. “Charles Gleyre: The Reformed Romantic” will be on view through September 11.
To learn more, visit the Musée d’Orsay.
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