Meta-Impressionism / other exhibitions

Centennial exhibitions

continued recognition

 

Introduction:
Already in 1889 and 1900 at the Exposition Universelle there had been Centennial exhibitions of French art, in 1889 covering the period from 1789-1889 and in 1900 from 1800-1889. There also have been Centennial exhibitions of French art inside and outside of France. Having your works shown at such an exhibition can be seen as a continued recognition.
This page starts with some exhibited paintings. Then you will find some prelimary conclusions and reflections. Then you will find a chronological overview of these centennial exhibitions with some info (as far as I have data).
Note: This page needs further development. Additional info and pictures will be added.
Note: of many exhibitions I have only indirect information, which is not representative.

 

Some exhibited pictures:
Here below you will find some of the exhibited pictures at the Centennial exhibitions of French art*. The emphasize is on works of the partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions**. The works will be shown in alphabetical order of the artist and then in a chronological order.
Note*: for the works shown in Saint-Petersburg (1912) and Copenhagen (1914) see seperate pages.
Note**: These are just some examples and are not representative for these expositions.

 

Some preliminary conclusions:
Many partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions were well represented. Namely works of Renoir, Gauguin, Forain, Monet, Sisley, Degas and Cézanne. The same applies for the pre-impressionists, namely Corot, J.F. Millet and Rousseau. And for para-Impressionists, namely Courbet, Daumier and Manet. Of the more traditional artists namely Delacroix and Ingres were well represented. But, works of most awarded (former) members of L’Institut and important Néo-Classists like Bouguereau, Cabanel, Gérôme and Pils were (almost) absent!
Note: These preliminary conclusions are made only on the catalogues of the 1912 Saint-Petersburg and the 1914 Copenhagen catalogues. Of the other exhibitions I lack a catalogue.

Some reflections on art-history:
Art-history can have a focus on scandals (R517), but than it downgrades itself to a sort of scandal journalism (see Manet). Art-history can also have a focus on avant-garde painters: what artists were innovative, what artists stood at the beginning of new movements and styles? This seems to be inspired by the dialectic world view of the philosopher Hegel with his thesis vs antithesis (stanford.edu). We see this in the emphasize that is laid in many sources on Impressionism on the rejection of the ‘impressionist’ for the Salon and on comparing Impressionism with Néo-Classicism.
I like to plead for an art-history that (also) focusses on what art-works are consistently appreciated. When an art-work is exhibited at a Centennial exhibition (long after it was made), this could indicate that an art-work is consistently appreciated. So let’s look which artists were present at these Centennial exhibitions and what art-works were shown.

Additional reflections:
We see that several centennial exhibitions of French art* were held from 1907-1925. Several of these expositions were held by commercial art-galleries. It seems that ’19th century French painters’ was a good marketing term to use as promotion. But, can all these expositions be seen as well chosen representatives of 19th century French art? Were official French institutions and scholars involved? Or were easily laid contacts with art-dealers and art-collectors more leading?
For the answers we need more background information on the organisation of these expositions. But, that is outside the scope of this website.
Sure is that works made after 1900 were also shown, which don’t represent 19th century French art. It seems that a relatively low amount of works from musea were shown. Probably most (often very large) paintings that were most highly awarded at the Salon were not shown. Weren’t they seen as not representative anymore, or were logistics and insurability insurmountable obstacles? All, this raise questions on how representable these centennial exhibitions were. It also depends if the organiser had a more conservative or a more innovative point of view. Still, it stays interesting how 19th century French art was represented in these centennial exhibitions.
Note*: It is also interesting to know if there were also exhibitions held of 19th century English, Spanish, etc art.

 

1907, Prague:
Wildenstein mentions that works of Monet were exhibited at this exposition: 1907/09/28 – 11/15, Société Manes: “Peinture française au XIXe siècle” (R22IV,p1020). It seems a centenial exposition. But this expostion is probably the same as the exhibition held in October and November called “Triadvacaté výsavy spolku výtvarných umelcu Mánes: Francouzsti impressionisté” (Twenty-third anniversary of the Mánes Association of Visual Artists: the French Impressionists), see link. The numbers and titles of the works exhibited by Monet correspond with this catalogue. All other sources don’t call it a centennial expo, so I assume Wildenstein is wrong.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1912, Saint-Petersburg:
1912/01/28 onwards there was an exhibition called “Vy’stavka sto let franczuzskoj zhivopisi (1812-1912)” (100 years of French painting, 1812-1912; or Exposition centennale de l’art français) held in Saint Petersburg (R250=iR261;R106,p420). The exhibition showed 948 works by 199 artists. Works of 23 of the 57 partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions were exhibited. See seperate page for more info and pictures.
Catalogue (iR261): “[Vy’stavka sto let franczuzskoj zhivopisi (1812-1912) : Exhibition 100 Years of French Painting (1812-1912)].” In Database of Modern Exhibitions (DoME). European Paintings and Drawings 1905-1915. Last modified Mar 1, 2023. http://exhibitions.univie.ac.at/exhibition/411 (note: partly unfinished).
Catalogue (iR40,bpt6k1421639x).

1914, Copenhagen:
1914/05/15 – 06/30 there was an “Exposition d’art français du XIXe siècle” (Fransk Malerkunst fra det 19nde Aarhundrede) in the Musée royale (Statens Museum for Kunst) organised by the Dansk Kunstmuseums Forening Copenhague. Many works were exhibited of 18 of the 57  partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions. Works of most awarded (former) members of L’Institut and important Néo-Classists Bouguereau, Cabanel, Gérôme and Pils were absent! See seperate page.
Catalogue: gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k323974m =iR40.

1914, Dresden:
1914, April – May, Ernste Arnold, “Französische Malerei des 19. Jahrhunderts.
Works were exhibited of Monet, see account (10x; R22). There were at least 2 work of Lebourg exhibited (iR261).
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1917, Stockholm:
1917, National Museum, Art français du XIXe siècle, with works of Monet (1x).
Monet:
Stockholm, 1917-73 = CR792.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1917, Paul Rosenberg, Paris:
Paul Rosenberg, Paris, Art français du XIXe siècle au profit de l’Association Générale des mutilés de la guerre, June 25–July 13, 1917. (iR194)
Catalogue: INHA (=iR242).

1918, Geneva:
1918/04/15 – 05/16: in Geneva at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire called ‘Tableaux, dessins et sculptures de l’École française du XIXe siècle.
Including Monet CR 233 (103) +285 (105) +?470 (106) +660 (99) +1115 or 1118 (101) (R22IV,p1022).
Including 5 works of Pissarro (no.108-112), including CCP 602 (109) +827 (110) (R116I,p371).
Including Sisley CCPP629.
Note: several works came from the accepted Caillebotte bequest and were loans from the Musée du Luxembourg.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1919, Paul Rosenberg, Paris:
Paul Rosenberg, Paris, L’art français au XIXe siècle, 1919. (iR194)
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1920, Cent Ans de Peinture Française.
Held at la Ville-l’Evêque ? at .
Note: maybe this should be the 1922 expo in Paris in the Ville-l’Evêque↓.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1922, Paris:
1922/03/15 – 04/20, in the Chambre Syndicale de la Curiosité et des Beaux-Arts at 18, Rue de la Ville-l’Evêque: Cent ans de peinture française.
Among the partakers were Cézanne (Rochers du Mont St. Victoire; badly represented), Degas (with inferieur works), Redon (1x),  Renoir (well represented), Seurat (including Le Port-en-Bessin, 1888, now in Saint-Louis). And also: Bastien-Lepage, Besnard, Bonnat, Braque (2 works made in 1920), Carolus-Duran, Chassériau, Corot, Daubigny, David, Delacroix, Diaz, Fatin-Latour, Géricault, Ingres, Manet, Henry Martin, Th. Rousseau, ; Fauves like Friesz, Matisse, de Vlaminck (all with more recent works). Monet, Pissarro and Sisley were absent; and also Courbet, Derain; and also foreigners like Bonington, Jongkind, Picasso and Van Gogh.
Including works of Monet (4x, see account); Pissarro 1x (R116,no235); Sisley? (R396,p529). And also of Corot (iR23).
Sources: review in L’Amour de l’art, 1922/01 (p101-104=R356=iR40);R22;R116;R396; iR23.
Question: also shown at the Musée de Strasbourg ?
Pissarro:
Paris-100-1922-124 = CCP235.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1922, Paul Rosenberg gallery, Paris:
1922/05/03 – 06/03, Paul Rosenberg: Exposition d’Oeuvres de grands maîtres du XIXe siècle (=PR-XIX-1922).
Including: Monet 5x (R22IV,p1023), Pissarro 5x (R116III,p373); Sisley 5x? (R396).
Pissarro: 
PR-XIX-1922-64, =CCP321
PR-XIX-1922-65, =CCP355
PR-XIX-1922-66, =? CCP429
PR-XIX-1922-67, =? CCP430
PR-XIX-1922-68, =CCP629
Sisley:
PR-XIX-1922-89, =CCPP140 =CR146
PR-XIX-1922-90, =CCPP139=CR148
PR-XIX-1922-91, =CCPP141 =CR108
PR-XIX-1922-92, =CCPP?
PR-XIX-1922-93, =CCPP256 =CR243
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1923, London:
1923/06/26 -07/21, Knoedler: 19th century French painters
It included 6 paintings of Monet, see account.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1924, London:
1924, May + June: Lefevre Gallery: Important pictures by 19th Century French Masters, including Monet (5x); Sisley.
R22IV,p1023+CR76+158+497+656+1310.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1924, New York:
1924/05/12 -29, Fearon: French painters of the 19th Century.
It included (at least) 3 paintings of Monet, see account.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1924, Paris, Knoedler:
1924/05/12 -?, Galerie Knoedler: Peintres de l’école française du XIXe siècle (=GKn-XIX-1924).
Including Monet (12x): CR124+244+245+293+560+678+903+1146+?1367+1541+1721+1754 of Monet, see account (R22IV,p1023).
Including Pissarro 4x: CCP 129 +351 +488 +? (R116I,p373)
Including Sisley: CCPP: ? +? +939 +943 +951 of Sisley (R396).
GKn-XIX-1924-3, =Sisley =CCPP951 =CR826
GKn-XIX-1924-4 =Pissarro =CCP488
GKn-XIX-1924-6 = Pissarro =CCP351
GKn-XIX-1924-8 = Pissarro =CCP129
GKn-XIX-1924-18, =Sisley =CCPP939 =CR834
GKn-XIX-1924-23, = Pissarro, Bords de rivière
GKn-XIX-1924-41, =Sisley =CCPP943 =CR831
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1925, Paris, Paul Rosenberg:
1925/01/15 – 02/17, Paul Rosenberg: Les Grandes Influences au XIXe siècle (d’Ingres à Cézanne), with Monet.
R22IV,p1024+CR608.
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

1925, Vienna:
In March and April 1925 the “82e Ausstellung der Sezession” was dedicated to “Die Führenden Meister der französischen Kunst im neunzehnten Jahrhundert” (The Leading Masters of French Art in the Nineteenth Century).
Works were exhibited of Monet (3x, see ) and Signac.
Signac:
Vienna-1925-51 =CR419
Note: by lack of a catalogue the information is only indirect and not representative.

 

Sources:
My main sources are the catalogues of the expositions:
1912, Saint-Petersbourg: iR40,gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k1421639x =iR40.
In Database of Modern Exhibitions (DoME). European Paintings and Drawings 1905-1915. Last modified Mar 16, 2021. http://exhibitions.univie.ac.at/exhibition/411 (iR261) (note: partly unfinished);
1914, Copenhagen: gallica.bnf.fr//bpt6k323974m =iR40.
Other main sources are the Catalogues Raisonné of the artists, namely:
of Monet (R22IV,p1016-1022), Signac (R106,p420/1), Pissarro (R116); catalogues of Renoir (R31,p315), Sisley (R396).
Other sources are the Salon database (iR1), other catalogues (R250;iR261); Denvir (R5).
For other general references (=R) see. For other references to internet sites (=iR) see. See links for practical hints and abbreviations and for the subscription of the paintings.

 

Recommanded citation: Meta-Impressionism / other exhibitions: centennial exhibitions, continious recognition. Last modified 2026/07/17. https://www.impressionism.nl/centennial-expos/”

 

Note: additional info and pictures will be added.