Boijmans collection brings explosion of light to Fries Museum

Together with the Fries Museum, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is organising a major exhibition about the influence of the French light in nineteenth-century painting. The exhibition 'À la campagne: the French light from Maris to Monet' can be seen in the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden from 19 February. The exhibition makes a journey along the artistic development of this 'French view' of the landscape - from the Barbizon school to (post) impressionism. The renovation of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen provides a unique opportunity for the collection of impressionists - which indisputably belongs to the world top - to make a once-in-a lifetime trip. The exhibition features more than 90 paintings and works on paper, some of which have been specially restored in the brand-new depot. On show are leading French artists such as Daubigny, Rousseau, Millet, Sisley, Cézanne, Pissarro and Renoir, Belgian painters such as Van Rysselberghe and Wytsman and prominent Dutch artists such as Van Gogh, Thorn Prikker and Toorop, and the much-loved work of the Hague School painters.

The yearning for nature: À la campagne

Never before has the longing for nature been as great as it is today, after all the restrictions and lockdowns of the last two years. But it is exactly this desire to be surrounded by nature that has been immortalised by many artists throughout the centuries. The real nature was captured by the artist in the light of the moment: emerging and spreading, soft and warm, grey and depressing, shining and then diminishing light. From the Barbizon School to the (post) impressionism, it was the French artists who, during the 19th century, played a leading role. ‘À la campagne’ shows the important role of light in the art of the 19th century; sunbeams sparkle on the water, the light is filtered through leaves and the wind dances across the canvas. Spread over six halls, paintings, drawings and prints of landscapes, orchards, hills and coasts, gardens and field display this enormous affection for nature.

Podcast

From 19 February, a podcast with background to the exhibition is available via the Fries Museum. In this podcast, radio and television presenter Andrea van Pol talks with enthusiasts and experts about their love for the outdoor life. Van Pol visited Rotterdam, where the works for ‘À la campagne’ were being carefully packed in the brand-new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. She also hiked across the Hoge Veluwe, where forester Henk Ruseler explained the fascination in nature felt by people in general and art-lovers in particular. In the free audio tour accompanying the exhibition, journalist, publicist and TV presenter Philip Freriks gives a poetic twist to ‘À la campagne’. Poems by writers such as Victor Hugo, Rutger Kopland, Abdelkader Benali and Remco Campert provide a backdrop to a dozen works.