Exhibitions

We showcased works of Impressionism, Expressionism and Fauvism. Included were works by Alcide Le Beau, Eugène Alluaud, Maximilien Luce, Jean Keuleyan-Lafon, René Seyssaud, Pierre De Belay, Raoul Dufy, Albert Grenier and André Lhote.

Since the Stone Age, depictions of animals have been among the most common subjects in the visual and applied arts (cave paintings at Lascaux), even more so than images of humans. The images reflect the ambivalent relationship with animals. Feared, worshipped, hunted, tamed, bred, studied in natural history, loved, and admired, animals are closely connected to human life and therefore repeatedly the subject of art. For artists of classical modernism, such as Otto Dill and Emil Nolde, the painterly potential of animal models is more in the foreground. Dill, also known as Löwen-Dill (Lion Dill), admired lions and tigers for their strength and beauty and, unlike Max Slevogt, depicted them not in zoos but in the wild. Emil Nolde brought back from the South Seas not only sensitive portraits of South Sea islanders but also many animal watercolors. He painted his chameleons in memory of his trip and inspired by their forms in the Berlin Aquarium. With his stylized black panthers, Jean Royer created typical Art Deco works. With their wildness and elegance, they are the epitome of this style.

On display were impressive paintings by Pierre de Belay and pointillist works from the circle of Louis Valtat. These were complemented by movable bronze sculptures (rolling bodies) by Maximilian Verhas and unique chair designs by Miles Rice.