London: The Impressionists at the Tate Britain

When I was in London at the beginning of April, I was looking for an exhibition to visit and the one that caught my eye was The Impressionists at the Tate Britain.

The blockbuster exhibition, which closes today, has been running since November and centres around the French Impressionists who fled France for Britain during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s.

Impressionism is one of my favourite art movements and this exhibition didn’t disappoint with notable works by the likes of Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro and Auguste Rodin on display.

Spread over eight galleries, it took a little over an hour to see everything there was to see, and while the exhibition was heaving in the first few galleries, the crowds eased off the further into the exhibition I got.

The exhibition began with paintings depicting the horrors of the Franco-Prussian War in Paris, with paintings of dead or wounded soldiers, and buildings alight or in ruins. The artworks were vivid and haunting, and brought home the tragedy of war.

The exhibition then introduced some of the most notable members of the Impressionism movement in London, including Monet, Pissaro and Alfred Sisley.

Having introduced the key players, the exhibition then focused on numerous works by James Tissot, which depicted his take on London high society.

The paintings were fantastic and some of the best on display, and I was taken by the way Tissot realistically depicted the fabrics worn by the many women in his paintings.

One in particular stood out, and that was a painting of a woman in a white dress with yellow bows. The detail and the life-like way he captured the fabrics was superb.

From there I wandered into a large room dedicated to Alphonse Legros, one of the first French artists to seek shelter in London and friend to the likes of Whistler, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Monet, Tissot and Pissaro.

There was an array of paintings and sculptures on display, but the standout for me was Rodin’s captivating bust of Legros, which displayed his superb craftsmanship to full effect.

The fourth gallery revolved around the French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux during his time in London, while the fifth looked at British sports, crowds and parks from an outsiders’ perspective.

I really enjoyed this gallery, there was lots to see and some exceptional pieces.

I particularly liked Pissaro’s Bank Holiday, Kew and Guiseppe de Nitti’s Piccadilly Wintry Walk in London. Monet’s atmospheric Leicester Square at Night and Hyde Park were also showstoppers.

The sixth gallery focused on foggy scenes of the Thames and Westminster. I’m often captivated by paintings and illustrations where London is shrouded in fog as they’re so far removed from my experiences of the capital.

It isn’t something I’ve witnessed, yet it’s a popular 19th century image of London.

The gallery featured a number of excellent works, including three pieces from Whistler’s haunting Nocturne series. Pissaro’s Charing Cross Bridge, London and Guiseppe de Nitti’s Westminster were also fantastic.

The penultimate gallery showcased Monet’s work. To me, Monet is the epitome of Impressionism and I’ve been a fan of his since I was introduced to his work in school.

The gallery was packed with recognisable works including two paintings of Charing Cross Bridge and countless depictions of the Houses of Parliament.

What I particularly liked about Monet’s paintings of the Houses of Parliament was the way he captured the iconic landmark at different times of the day and in different lights – at sunset, in sunlight and the effect of sunlight in the fog.

It was great to see all these similar paintings together in one room as it really helped showcase the varying effects of the light.

The eighth and final gallery explored André Derain’s colourful depictions of the Thames.

He painted traditional scenes of the Thames, such as Charing Cross Bridge, in bright, vivid, unrealistic colours and it was a complete contrast to the other Impressionists’ more realistic depictions of London’s most famous river.

It was an interesting, unexpected and playful end to the exhibition.

I really enjoyed The Impressionists exhibition – it was packed with exceptional pieces and showcased works by lesser known Impressionists alongside the blockbuster names.

I was introduced to a number of great artists I was unfamiliar with, but I also liked that it featured some of the most iconic of the Impressionists’ works.

It was fantastic to see so many of Monet’s works, for example, in one room. A great exhibition and well worth seeing.