It was April 15, 1874 when, in the studio of Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, better known as Nadar, 31 artists gathered in protest against official academic art in an exhibition that will go down in history.
It is the birth of Impressionism.
And Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) and Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) are also exhibiting.
In the midst of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of that epochal moment in the history of art, one of the most anticipated spring exhibitions arrives at Palazzo Reale in Milan: Cézanne/Renoir, which from 19 March to 30 June will present for the first time comparison in Italy of the personalities and works of the two Masters who were key to the fortunes of the movement, who most influenced subsequent generations of artists.
"An exhibition - says the French ambassador to Italy Martin Briens, hosting the presentation at Palazzo Farnese - which marks a new stage of the Quirinale Treaty signed in 2023".
Created by Palazzo Reale, Municipality of Milan, Skira Arte, Museum Studio, in collaboration with Musée de l'Orangerie and Musée d'Orsay and with the patronage of Ambassade de France en Italie, curated by Cécile Girardeau and Stefano Zuffi, with the collaboration of Alice Marsal, ours in fact collects 52 masterpieces by the two artists, from the first canvases of the 1870s to the more mature works of the early 20th century, brought together by the art dealer Paul Guillaume (1891-1934) and his wife Domenica (1898 -1977), now preserved at the Musée de l'Orangerie, together with a selection of works from the Musée d'Orsay and two canvases by Pablo Picasso.
"An exhibition that is not pre-packaged, but which is based on an idea - comments undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi - and which tells how today Milan is a universal place like New York, almost an extension of Paris".
The project, continues the culture councilor of the Municipality of Milan, Tommaso Sacchi, was born from the "desire not to settle but to build a project".
A line that "last year brought one million and 300 thousand visitors to the civic spaces dedicated to exhibitions, with an increase of 40%" and "50 exhibitions already presented for the next three years".
Cézanne/Renoir will be a fundamental stage, with the story of "two lives and two artistic experiences of two Masters who are so close and distant at the same time", say the curators.
"Cezanne is bolder", more dedicated "to the roundness and harmonies of Renoir", says Girardeau.
"Almost the same age, both born in the province, rejected by the Salon, they became friends at 40", after our historic chez Nadar, explains Zuffi.
"Cézanne - he says - will often invite Renoir to the Côte d'Azur".
They will suffer serious illnesses but both will paint to the last.
The exhibition, accompanied by a Skira Arte publication, will start from their best-known paintings to explore their different trajectories but also the meeting points between landscapes (Renoir, Paysage de neige, 1875; Cézanne, Arbres et maisons, 1885) and nature death (Renoir, Fleurs dans un vase, 1898; Pêches, 1881; Cézanne, Le Vase bleu, 1889-1890; Vase paillé, sucrier et pommes, 1890-1894).
And then the famous portraits (Renoir, Claude Renoir en clown, 1909; Cézanne, Portrait de Madame Cézanne, 1885-1895), with also the series of bathers (Renoir, Baigneuse assise, 1914; Cézanne, Trois baigneuses, 1874-1875) .
Up to the founding influence they had on the subsequent avant-garde through the comparison between two works by Cézanne and Renoir with two paintings by Pablo Picasso (Cézanne, Pommes et biscuits, 1880; Picasso, Grande nature morte, 1917; Renoir, Femme nue couchée, 1906 ; Picasso, Grand nu à la draperie, 1921-1923).
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