Naissance de l'Impressionnisme : La liberté de peindre
Collections du musée d'Orsay
(The Birth of Impressionism - Freedom in Painting: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay)

Overview

In summer 2014, 84 masterpieces will arrive in Japan from Musée d'Orsay in Paris famed for its superb collection of impressionist art. The theme of the exhibition is "The Birth of Impressionism". 140 years since the first impressionist exhibition was held in 1874 ― the shock of the birth of this innovative style that provoked a scandal in the Paris art community will vividly revive in Tokyo through a selection of masterpieces.
The exhibition attempts to give new life to the rich and diverse era from the late 1860's to early 1880's in which a broad spectrum of movements and talents co-existed a longside each other, and to free ourselves from the stereotype judgment of impressionism being "good" and academism being "bad". The exhibition is divided into several chapters, namely: "Manet: The New Painting" "Realisms" "History Painting" "The Nude" "The Impressionist Landscape" "Still Life" "Portraits" "Modern Life" "Manet and the Maturity", which will provide an opportunity to understand the mutual impact between different styles and at the same time appreciate the beauty each work has in its own right.
Not only the leading impressionists' works including Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cézanne, but also the works of other contemporary artists ranging from realist paintings by Corot, Millet and Courbet to academic paintings by Cabanel and Bouguereau will come together in this exhibition. In other words, the whole lineup of the masterpieces of that age, the treasures of Musée d'Orsay will be there.

Dates	July 9(Wed.) - October 20(Mon.), 2014 Closed on Tuesdays (except August 12, September 23, October 14), September 24
Opening hours	10:00-18:00 *10:00-20:00 on Fridays, every Saturdays on and after August 16, and everyday on and after October 12 (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Venue	The National Art Center, Tokyo (Kokuritsu-Shin-Bijutsukan), Special Exhibition Gallery 2E 7-22-2 Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Organized by	The National Art Center, Tokyo, Musée d'Orsay, The Yomiuri Shimbun,　Nippon Television Network Corporation
With the support of	Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Embassy of France/Institut francais du Japon, J-WAVE
With the special sponsorship of	CANON INC., The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited
With the sponsorship of	Air France, Kao Corporation, SHIMIZU Corporation, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., DAIWA HOUSE INDUSTRY CO., LTD., TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., MITSUI & CO., LTD.
With the Cooperation of	Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd., PCA Corporation
	This exhibition is covered by the Japanese Act on the Indemnification of Damage to Works of Art in Exhibitions (Act No.17 of 2011)
Admission(tax included)	General 1,600yen(Adults), 1,200yen(College students), 800yen(High school students) Advance/Group 1,400 yen(Adults), 1,000 yen(College students), 600 yen(High school students) Visitors who are under junior high school students and disabled people with ID booklets (along with the one attendant) will be admitted for free. Free entrance to the exhibition for high school students from 24th of July to 12th of August, 2014, upon presenting students ID. Advance tickets can be purchased through the above services and at the National Art Center, Tokyo from April 16(Wed.) to July 8(Tue.), 2014 (only until July 7(Mon.), 2014 at the National Art Center, Tokyo) Group tickets will only be available at the venue and discounts only applicable to groups of 20 people or more. Reduction (100 yen off) applies for visitors who present the ticket stub of a concurrent exhibition at The National Art Ceter, Tokyo, Suntory Museum of Art or Mori Art Museum (Art Triangle Roppongi). For Students, faculty and staff, of “Campus Members”, group discounts are applies for purchasing tickets. Credit card (UC, Master Card, VISA, JCB, AMEX, Diners Club, DISCOVER) and e-cash (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, etc.) and iD and J-Debit and UnionPay are available for purchasing tickets.
Inquiries	Tel: +81 (0)3-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)

*This exhibition is realized with the scientific collaboration of the Musée d'Orsay and its exceptional loan from the collection.