Related Programming
Some programs require registration. All programs are free.

Opening Day
September 8
Join us for a day full of programs and activities inspired by the exhibition:

·      Curator-led talk: Introduction to the Exhibition, 12:00 p.m., East Building Auditorium, in person and virtual

·      Concerts: L’esprit Parisien, 1:00 and 3:30 p.m., West Building, West Garden Court

·      Film: 1874, The Birth of Impressionism, 3:00 p.m., East Building Auditorium (US premiere featuring post-screening discussion with the directors)

National Gallery Nights
A Night in Paris
September 12, 6:00 p.m., East Building
Go back in time and travel to the City of Light with a unique after-hours visit to the exhibition and other themed activities. Activities on the 4th Street Plaza are open to all, but registration is required to enter the East Building. Lottery for registration opens on Monday, September 2, at 10:00 a.m. and closes on Thursday, September 5, at noon.

First Saturday
November 2 and January 4, East Building
This monthly, family-friendly event includes drop-in artmaking, screenings of the docudrama 1874: The Birth of Impressionism, and activities in our library, all centered around the exhibition.

Talks and Conversations
The Impressionist Revolution, 1874–1886
September 14, 1:00 p.m., West Building Lecture Hall and virtual
How did the impressionists establish new methods of seeing and making art? Learn about the major artists, works, and ideas explored by this avant-garde movement. Free registration required.

Exhibition Overview
September 24, October 17, November 3, December 11, January 15, 11:00 a.m., West Building Lecture Hall
How did impressionism begin? Discover the origins of the French art movement in a new look at the radical 1874 exhibition considered the birth of modern painting.

Paris 1874: Urban History and Visual Culture
October 20, 12:00pm, East Building Auditorium and virtual
During the second half of the 19^th century, Paris was in the throes of a vast project of urban renewal. Architectural historian Esther da Costa Meyer will discuss the ways the impact of this transformation was felt differently by varying social classes, generations, genders, and French and foreign residents. Free registration required.

Drop-In Discussions
September 19, October 6 and 17, November 3, December 19, January 5 and 16, 2:00 p.m., Cascade Café
Museum staff provide conversation starters and you choose which tables to join for casual discussions. The October 17 session is a special meet up for makers and artists and will allow participants to discuss their own artistic practice. The November 3 session will focus on trailblazing women and will consider parallels between the lives of women in 1874 Paris and today.

Edouard Manet and Émile Zola: A Portrait of Friendship
November 3, 12:00 p.m., East Building Auditorium and virtual
Artist Edouard Manet and naturalist and novelist Émile Zola were friends and kindred spirits, confronting the realities of their times and producing art relevant for the modern age. Learn about how their revolutionary creative sensibility inspired 20th-century artists and writers to come. Free registration required.

Performances
Duo Karolina Mikołajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki
October 20, 1:00 and 3:00 p.m., West Building, Garden Court
Enjoy the charm and artistry of Duo Karolina Mikołajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki as they paint a soundscape reminiscent of 1874 Paris on the violin and accordion. Free registration required for 3:00 p.m. performance.

Film
1874: The Birth of Impressionism
September 8, October 12, November 2, December 1, January 4, East Building Auditorium
Produced in honor of the exhibition, this docudrama allows us to see what it would have been like to attend the 1874 exhibition that marked the beginning of impressionism. September 8 is the film’s US premiere. Directors Julien Johan and Hugues Nancy will lead a post-screening discussion. Free registration required.

Color, Cinema, and the Impressionist Movement
October 19 and 27, November 30, 2:00 p.m., East Building Auditorium
In the 19th century, new technologies of color transformed visual and material cultures in remarkable ways, from the vibrant impressionist palette and new fashions to hand-painted photographs and films. This three-part film series examines how the beginnings of cinema shaped and were shaped by the modern world of color. Free registration required. Films include:

·      Early Color Cinema and Impressionism, October 19, introduced by Joshua Yumibe, professor of film and media studies, Michigan State University

·      A World of Color, October 27

·      Fantasia of Color, November 30

Other Programs
The Art of Looking: Edouard Manet, Masked Ball at the Opera
September 20, 1:00 p.m., virtual
Join us for a one-hour virtual session and share your observations, interpretations, questions, and ideas about this work of art. This program is designed for everyone interested in talking about art. No art or art history background is required. Free registration required.