Everyone, at some time in their lives, has seen the work of the great French painters, whether on postage stamps or when flipping through art books. The full beauty of a Monet or Picasso, however, is lost in reproduction.
Through Jan. 6, this beauty is rediscovered at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
Paintings from some of the world's most famous artists are featured in "The Triumph of French Painting: Masterpieces from Ingres to Matisse," a traveling exhibit currently on display at the Albright-Knox that features works by master painters including Auguste Renoir, Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Charles Gauguin.
One of the larger pieces, "Lost Illusions" by Marc-Charles-Gabriel Glcyre, is a beautiful representation of the loss of youth and, ultimately, dreams. Supposedly a vision experienced by the artist while gliding along the Nile River, "Lost Illusions" depicts an old man on the shore of the river, slumped in the shadows. The man (Glcyre) watches as a boat full of what he called "beautiful angels" floats away, with the occupants reading poetry, singing and conversing. The figures in the boat wear light, merry colors; their demeanor is softened by the haziness of the landscape, and the gentle falling of dusk.
Jean-Leon-Gerome's oil on canvas, "The Duel After the Masquerade," is another study in great loss. A costumed man lies dying in the arms of a friend as his killer walks into the background, fading into the snowy forest. The anguish captured in the faces of the dying man's companions adds to the intense drama felt in the piece. The crisp color of dripping blood jumps out against the brilliant white of the man's costume. Although a bit creepy, there is a captivating, morbid splendor in the details.
Millet's most famous work, "The Potato Harvest," is the show's simple pleasure, taking something as mundane as fieldwork and bringing to it a spare elegance. The toil of a peasant family harvesting potatoes in a bare, shadowy field becomes something more on Millet's canvas: it is a look at those who do what they need to survive, a testament to the nobility of a hard day's work, a showing of the struggle and partnership between humanity and the earth.
Among the paintings that should not be missed is Van Gogh's "Landscape With Figures," a vibrantly colored piece that shows the movement and rhythm of the south of France through the artist's eyes. Also very intense is a piece from Picasso's Blue Period, "Woman With Bangs," that draws the viewer into the artist's depression.
With such an impressive collection, it is hard to highlight only a portion of the show; every painting deserves to be seen. Courbet, Pissaro, C?(c)zanne, Degas, Seurats - all of give a deep appreciation and possibly even a new understanding of what art can be and do.
At the exhibit's entrance, visitors are handed long, wand-like devices with a keypad and earpiece to bring up narration on each of the corresponding paintings. The youth narration, much more thoughtful than the adult, is the more interesting of the two, but those who really want to experience the art in intimately will bypass the option altogether and think for themselves rather than lug an electronic pacifier around.
Admission to the exhibit ($8 for students, $10 general admission) is not included in the gallery's regular admission, and entrance is staggered so reservations are recommended.
