In the 1830s going through to the 1870s, a group of painters who were tired of urban life left the urban area of Paris and started a new creation in Barbizon, a small town in the Fontainebleau Forest in Paris, France. They advocated returning to nature, talking about art together or traveling together to draw, they formed the “Barbizon School” that had a significant impact on the development of the art world. On November 5, 2017, the “Exhibition of Original Masterpieces – The Works of the Barbizon School 2017”, organized by the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument and New Perfection Inc., the United States, opened at the Art Museum of the China Millennium Monument. The exhibition features the works by more than 20 representative artists of the Barbizon School, among the works by “Seven Stars of Barbizon” including Rousseau, Jacques, Diaz, Troyon, Dupre and Daubigny who all are on show, which can be described as the first large-scale systematic show of the Barbizon School that has landed in China. In addition, “The Preview of the Picasso Exhibition 2018” also opened at the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument at the same time, featuring 9 original works by Picasso, including “The Portrait of Jacqueline with a Straw Hat”.

Speaking about the original intention of introducing such a magnificent show of the Barbizon School, Ji Chengpeng, Executive Director of the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument, said bluntly that the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument has adhered to the purpose of promoting the international cultural exchange. The introduction of the Barbizon School does not only help the audience, artists and art researchers to fully understand the Barbizon School, but also offers valuable thoughts to the development of the national culture and the arts.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition started at 3:30 p.m. Jiang Hua, a host of Beijing TV Station, presided over the opening ceremony, the honored guests including Tan Ping, Vice President of China National Academy of Arts, Du Jun, Deputy Secretary General of China Artists Association and a member of the council of China Artists Association, Shang Hui, President and Chief Editor of “Fine Art” magazine, Zhang Zikang, Director of the CAFA Art Museum, Chen Jian, Deputy Director & Secretary General of Watercolor Art Committee of China Artists Association, and Professor of China Academy of Art, Lin Cunzhen, Professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Zhang Xin, CEO of New Perfection Inc., the United States, Robert Avellano, the artistic consultant of New Perfection Inc., the United States, Zhang Fuye, Dean of the Institute of World Art History at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Wu Xi, Professor of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Su Liqun, Professor of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Yang Dongjiang from the Art Museum of Tsinghua University, Ma Keqiang, Dean of China Western Academy of Painting and Calligraphy, Zhao Dongming, former Director of Beijing Broadcasting Bureau, Yang Rui, Director of Beijing Automotive Museum, and Ji Pengcheng, Executive Director of the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument attended the opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, Robert Avellano, the artistic consultant of New Perfection Inc., the United States, talked about the emergence and features of the Barbizon School as well as the representative artists, especially the influences on art history, and pointed out that the emergence & development of the Barbizon School liberated the French landscape painting from the neoclassical bondage, thus kicks off the 19th-century grand French realistic art movement, offering important enlightenment to the follow-up impressionists such as Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Van Gogh and Robert Avellano with a special mention of the old studios of the painters which are still maintained in the Fontainebleau Forest, and they are open to the public. It took less than an hour by bus to reach the town of Barbizon from Paris. Art lovers from all over the world can experience the first-hand creative information on painters about two centuries ago. Next, Shang Hui, President and Chief Editor of “Fine Art” magazine, Zhang Zikang, Director of the CAFA Art Museum, Zhang Fuye, Dean of the Institute of World Art History at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University also delivered a speech.

“Exhibition of Original Masterpieces – The Works of Barbizon School 2017” and the “Preview of Picasso Exhibition 2018” aim to promote the exchange & communication of the classic culture & art in the world, while placing the exhibits in the context of world art history, to convey a clearer & more complete context & frame of the world art history to the public.

The exhibition remains on view till December 15, and the “Preview of Picasso Exhibition 2018”, which is also sponsored by the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument and the New Perfection Inc., the United States, will be on display at the Qingdao Jiali Art Space from December 23, 2017 to January 29, 2018.

Text and photo by Yang Zhonghui, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

About the Exhibition?

Title: Exhibition of Original Masterpieces – The Works of the Barbizon School 2017 & Preview of the Picasso Exhibition 2018

Organizers: the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument, New Perfection Foundation, the United States

Co-organizers: Gehua Cultural and Creative Industry Development Foundation, Qingdao Jiali Art Space, Hong Kong Ruiyitai Culture Co., Ltd., Beijing Heng Tai Hai Hua Investment Co., Ltd., Beijing Golden Channel Advertising & Art Co., Ltd.

Duration: November 5 – December 15, 2017

Venue: Digital Art Exhibition Hall of China Millennium Monument

Note: This exhibition is on show at the Art Museum of China Millennium Monument. It is open to the public from November 7 to December 15, and free registration, it is necessary to call 84187900 to make an appointment, before entering the exhibition hall.