Impressionisti Segreti, Exhibition, Palazzo Bonaparte, Rome: 15 October 2019-3 May 2020

The Palazzo Bonaparte which opened to the public on October 2019 is worth a visit in its own right.  Don't miss the striking baroque architecture and the 18th century frescoes that adorn the walls. Walking through each room is a unique experience with the  coming together of  the rich history of the Bonaparte family, the legacy of the Impressiionists and  view of the Altare della Patria through one of the Palazzo’s windows. The building and its exhibition are constructed by some of France’s and Italy’s most important artists, showing off  a combination of French elegance with Italian heart. 

French Impressionism is known for its  visual brushstrokes, its focus on light, and day to day subject matters such as calm landscapes and  domestic scenes. The collection boasts works by Claude Monet, a founder of impressioist painting, including L’ile aux Orties (1897), which stays true to impressionist techniques which play with color by contrasting greys with complementary colors, such as violets and blues. Camille Pissarro, deemed by Jean Riwald as “the dean of impressionist painters, makes the exhibition’s list as well, particularly with his works Les Grands Hertres a Varengeville (1899), Gardener Standing by a Haystack, Overcast Sky (1899), and one of Pissarro’s earlier works, Au bord de la Seine a Paris. Le Pont-Marie vu depuis le quai d’Anjou (1875). To add to the list of the leading impressionists, Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s paintings are displayed, including Bougival (1888), which stays true to Renoir’s style with his free brushstrokes and use of vibrant colors in his landscapes.