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Monet and Matisse to feature in modern garden exhibition Monet and Matisse to feature in modern garden exhibition
(6 months later)
If French farmers had prevailed, the world may never have seen some of the most popular and revered paintings in the world: Monet’s waterlilies.If French farmers had prevailed, the world may never have seen some of the most popular and revered paintings in the world: Monet’s waterlilies.
“They were very suspicious of these strange aquatic plants that they heard Monet was going to plant,” said Ann Dumas, a curator at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. “They think they are going to poison the water and kill their cattle.”“They were very suspicious of these strange aquatic plants that they heard Monet was going to plant,” said Ann Dumas, a curator at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. “They think they are going to poison the water and kill their cattle.”
The story of how Monet created his spectacular garden at Giverny will be told in an exhibition called Painting the Modern Garden, Monet to Matisse. It will open in October at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio before moving to the RA in January.The story of how Monet created his spectacular garden at Giverny will be told in an exhibition called Painting the Modern Garden, Monet to Matisse. It will open in October at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio before moving to the RA in January.
At the heart of the show will be Monet. He had to be, said Dumas, announcing details at a briefing on Monday. “Not everybody knows quite what a serious and unbelievably knowledgable gardener and horticulturalist Monet was ... he himself thought he was a better gardener than painter.”At the heart of the show will be Monet. He had to be, said Dumas, announcing details at a briefing on Monday. “Not everybody knows quite what a serious and unbelievably knowledgable gardener and horticulturalist Monet was ... he himself thought he was a better gardener than painter.”
At Giverney, inspired by English gardeners William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll, he went to extraordinary lengths to create his waterlily ponds, successfully winning planning permission to divert the river Epte.At Giverney, inspired by English gardeners William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll, he went to extraordinary lengths to create his waterlily ponds, successfully winning planning permission to divert the river Epte.
The farmers objected to the waterlilies but there were plenty of locals who were suspicious of Monet full stop, said Dumas. “He kept himself rather to himself and would bring his own friends and fellow artists down from Paris.”The farmers objected to the waterlilies but there were plenty of locals who were suspicious of Monet full stop, said Dumas. “He kept himself rather to himself and would bring his own friends and fellow artists down from Paris.”
Eventually Monet got his friend, the writer Octave Mirbeau – best known for the 1900 novel Diary of a Chambermaid – to back him up, writing a letter to the prefecture complaining about the ridiculous notion of waterlilies poisoning the cattle.Eventually Monet got his friend, the writer Octave Mirbeau – best known for the 1900 novel Diary of a Chambermaid – to back him up, writing a letter to the prefecture complaining about the ridiculous notion of waterlilies poisoning the cattle.
Monet got his way and the result was some of the most loved paintings there have ever been.Monet got his way and the result was some of the most loved paintings there have ever been.
One highlight of the show will be his monumental Agapanthus Triptych of 1916-19 – misleadingly titled, as the subject is waterlilies. The three paintings were split up in the 1950s, going to museums in Cleveland, Saint Louis and Kansas City, and have been reunited before but it will be the first time they have been seen together in the UK.One highlight of the show will be his monumental Agapanthus Triptych of 1916-19 – misleadingly titled, as the subject is waterlilies. The three paintings were split up in the 1950s, going to museums in Cleveland, Saint Louis and Kansas City, and have been reunited before but it will be the first time they have been seen together in the UK.
There had been many Monet exhibitions in recent years, which was one reason, said Dumas, why the exhibition would be much wider than the one artist, showing work that spans the early 1860s to the 1920s.There had been many Monet exhibitions in recent years, which was one reason, said Dumas, why the exhibition would be much wider than the one artist, showing work that spans the early 1860s to the 1920s.
The RA’s director of artistic programmes, Tim Marlow, said the show would be “both popular and scholarly” and show how painting gardens provided artists with a route to abstraction.The RA’s director of artistic programmes, Tim Marlow, said the show would be “both popular and scholarly” and show how painting gardens provided artists with a route to abstraction.
Organisers had resisted using the term “avant-gardeners” but the show would include rarely seen garden paintings by avant-garde giants such as Paul Klee, Emil Nolde, Gustav Klimt and Wassily Kandinsky.Organisers had resisted using the term “avant-gardeners” but the show would include rarely seen garden paintings by avant-garde giants such as Paul Klee, Emil Nolde, Gustav Klimt and Wassily Kandinsky.
There would be around 120 paintings in the show, 35 of them by Monet as well as some “spectacular” loans. Not least, said Dumas, Lady in the Garden, from the Hermitage in St Petersburg, a painting of Monet’s aunt’s garden on the Normandy coast where he grew up.There would be around 120 paintings in the show, 35 of them by Monet as well as some “spectacular” loans. Not least, said Dumas, Lady in the Garden, from the Hermitage in St Petersburg, a painting of Monet’s aunt’s garden on the Normandy coast where he grew up.
Other artists would include Édouard Manet, John Singer Sargent, Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh and Mary Cassatt.Other artists would include Édouard Manet, John Singer Sargent, Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh and Mary Cassatt.
There would not be many British garden paintings. Dumas said the simple truth was that British artists of the time were not “as exciting and adventurous” as their European counterparts. “When you see them against these great Monets and Kandinsky and Klimt ... it really didn’t do them any favours.”There would not be many British garden paintings. Dumas said the simple truth was that British artists of the time were not “as exciting and adventurous” as their European counterparts. “When you see them against these great Monets and Kandinsky and Klimt ... it really didn’t do them any favours.”
• Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, will be at the Cleveland Museum of Art from 11 October until 5 January, and the RA from 30 January until 20 April • Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, will be at the Cleveland Museum of Art from 11 October until 5 January, and the Royal Academy, London, from 30 January until 20 April. Buy London tickets at theguardianboxoffice