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Anyone wanting to see the only Renoir exhibition in the world this year, which comes to Guernsey next month, can now buy their tickets.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir and a group of friends visited Guernsey in 1883.
While here, the Impressionist painted fifteen pictures including some of Moulin Huet and "nude bathers" which were later described as "career-defining" for Renoir.
His work has gone on to be among the most highly valued in the world with the 'Bal du Moulin de la Galette' selling at auction for $78million in 1990 and remains one of the most expensive Impressionism paintings in the world.
A collection of Renoir's paintings will be the focal point of this year's exhibition along with activities and educational talks around the artist, his life, and work.
Taking place between 30 September and 17 December, there will be a fine art exhibition at the Guernsey Museum at Candie, with other exhibitions and activities planned at the Priaulx Library, the Renoir Walk and the Art for Guernsey Gallery on Mansell Street.
The art exhibition will only be open to ticket holders with 60 minute slots allocated. They cost £10 for adults and £5 for children.
Tickets can be bought from artforguernsey.com.
The Renoir exhibition has been made possible by private collectors and galleries from around the world who offered their own works for the exhibition. The Guernsey Museums, the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, and Art for Guernsey worked together over four years to bring it together.
Pictured: A renoir painting depicting Guernsey held at the Musee d'Orsay (Wikimedia).
Helen Glencross, Head of Heritage Services, said it is such an important event for Guernsey that the museum has had to improve the air flow to ensure Renoir's work is preserved.
“This exciting exhibition is not to be missed. Art for Guernsey have done a fantastic job of growing the initial idea of a Renoir display to create an exciting line-up of exhibitions and events. Preparing for an exhibition of this calibre has been an exciting new challenge: one that my staff have picked up and handled with dedication and professionalism.
“The project has enabled the States of Guernsey to invest in a new air handling system and improve the infrastructure and presentation of the galleries. During the exhibition, the Museum will be temporarily transformed inside and out, and will set a new bar for the future. We hope that the knowledge and experience gained, plus the relationships we have built will enable future collaboration and opportunities.”
David Ummels, Founder of Art for Guernsey, has already helped to bring one of Renoir's paintings back to the island permanently and he said this exhibition will be an exciting way to find out more about the acclaimed Impressionist.
"When Renoir came to the island in 1883, he was looking for new ideas. He was notoriously in his "dry period" in terms of inspiration. His arrival in Guernsey and his discovery of Moulin Huet saw him fascinated by the way the light interacted with the natural environment and by the island inhabitants, who bathed freely among the rocks. That inspired Renoir to move away from portraiture and instead paint nudes into landscapes. He eventually reached glory as an artist only three years later when in 1886 his agent Paul Durand-Ruel took some of his best "nude bathers" to New York for an exhibition that proved career-defining for Renoir.
"'Renoir in Guernsey, 1883' represents tens of thousands of hours put together by the various teams, over almost a four years long journey, as we launched the Renoir Walk in 2019. It is much more than a fine art exhibition. It will be a real celebration of the island's rich cultural heritage, a fabulous opportunity to inspire school children and plenty of fun family events. I am confident it will also have a very positive impact on Guernsey's brand across the world."
Mr Ummels said Art for Guernsey was committed to putting the cultural advantages of the exhibition first, and will therefore be facilitating free-of-charge visits for all local school children.
“Finally, I would like to express a deep debt of gratitude to Investec, our Headline Sponsor, and to Christie's and Condor Ferries for their very generous support," he added.
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