OTTAWA.- The National Gallery of Canada opens its new exhibition Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons July 19, 2019, at the Kunsthalle in Munich, Germany. Presented in collaboration with the Kunsthalle München, Fondation de l’Hermitage (Lausanne, Switzerland) and Musée Fabre (Montpellier, France), the exhibition highlights the contributions made by Canadian artists to the Impressionist movement at the turn of the twentieth century. Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons will be on view in Munich until November 17, 2019.

Organized by the National Gallery of Canada and curated by Katerina Atanassova, Senior Curator, Canadian Art, this unprecedented exhibition reveals as much about Canada as it does about the creative minds of the Canadian Impressionists. Covering nearly five decades, Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons features 121 paintings by 36 Canadian artists, drawn from both renowned public and private collections in Canada and abroad.

The works in this exhibition are grouped into eight thematic sections that follow the Canadian artists from their early emulation of the Barbizon School to their reception of Impressionism. These include: On the Road to Impressionism: Canadian Artists Abroad; Impressions of France; At the Water’s Edge; Youth and Sunlight: Reflections of Childhood; Quiet Pursuits: Women at Leisure; New Horizons: Canadian Artists Beyond France; A Journey Home: Canadian Impressionists Return; and Painting Canada: From Impressionism to Modernism.

“Canadian artists were active members of the famous Impressionist movement that originated in 19th-century France,” said Dr. Sasha Suda, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. “Just as they do today, these artists travelled extensively across Europe and collaborated with their peers. The beautiful results of their adventures are featured in Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons, and I believe their impact will be felt by visitors who see the exhibition in Munich, Lausanne and Montpellier."

"For nearly 100 years, the National Gallery of Canada has invited audiences to experience Canadian art through its travelling exhibitions program," said Anne Eschapasse, Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Outreach at the National Gallery of Canada. “Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons supports this enduring tradition, telling the story of our artists’ distinctive contributions to Impressionism on the world stage."

Following the presentation at the Kunsthalle München, the exhibition Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons, will travel to Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 24 January – 24 May 2020; and Musée Fabre in Montpellier, France from 13 June – 27 September 2020. Beginning in fall 2020, the exhibition will open at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, with the addition of archival and photographic materials, works on paper, and sculptures.

“Canada and Impressionism: New Horizons has been funded by a dedicated community of Canadian philanthropists whose knowledge and passion for Canadian art and scholarship is an inspiration,” said Karen Colby-Stothart, CEO of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation. The exhibition is presented with the exceptional generosity of Exhibition Patron The A.K. Prakash Foundation.

The international tour to Germany, Switzerland, and France was made possible by the National Gallery of Canada Foundation through its donors, including the Pierre Lassonde Family Foundation, the Donald Sobey Family Foundation, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the Distinguished Patrons of the National Gallery of Canada, a pan-Canadian family of visionary philanthropists dedicated to supporting high impact projects and innovative partnerships. The National Gallery of Canada Foundation also acknowledges Heffel Fine Art Auction House, Masters Gallery, Kanta Marwah, and Michael and Renae Tims, as well as many individual donors who have contributed passionately and enthusiastically to advancing the study of Canadian historical art in Canada and abroad.