Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse

30 January — 20 April 2016

This exhibition is now closed

See upcoming exhibitions

★★★★★

"A ravishing joy from start to finish"

The Guardian

★★★★

"A show that feels as intellectually invigorating as it is visually delightful"

The Times

★★★★

"Time and space dissolve in pure shimmering light and colour"

The Daily Telegraph

Using the work of Monet as a starting point, this landmark exhibition examines the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s.

Trace the emergence of the modern garden in its many forms and glories as we take you through a period of great social change and innovation in the arts. Discover the paintings of some of the most important Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Avant-Garde artists of the early twentieth century as they explore this theme.

Please note, paid tickets have now sold out. We recommend that Friends of the RA reserve free tickets in advance to guarantee entry at their preferred time.

Monet, arguably the most important painter of gardens in the history of art, once said he owed his painting “to flowers”. But Monet was far from alone in his fascination with the horticultural world, which is why we will also be bringing you masterpieces by Renoir, Cezanne, Pissarro, Manet, Sargent, Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Matisse, Klimt and Klee.

For these artists and others, the garden gave them the freedom to break new ground and explore the ever-changing world around them. Highlights include a remarkable selection of works by Monet, including the monumental Agapanthus Triptych, reunited specifically for the exhibition, Renoir’s Monet Painting in His Garden at Argenteuil and Kandinsky’s Murnau The Garden II.

As our galleries are bathed in the colour and light of more than 120 works, see the garden in art with fresh eyes.

Exhibition co-organised by the Royal Academy of Arts and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

30 January — 20 April 2016

Saturday – Thursday 10am – 6pm
Friday 10am – 10pm

Please note, paid tickets have now sold out. We recommend that Friends of the RA reserve free tickets in advance to guarantee entry at their preferred time.

Please note, Friends of the RA must show membership cards along with a valid ID (such as a driving licence, bank or credit card) at the gallery entrance. This is to ensure that Friends have the best experience possible. Membership is non transferable.

Main Galleries, Burlington House