The Holburne Museum in Bath is set to open an exhibition titled Beyond Impressionism: Printmaking from Manet to Picasso, showcasing over 50 prints created by some of the most celebrated artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The show, running from 23 May to 13 September, focuses on the often-overlooked printmaking skills of painters such as Édouard Manet, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Pablo Picasso.
Reviving a Lost Art
By the mid-19th century, printmaking had fallen out of fashion, largely associated with commercial reproductions. However, this exhibition demonstrates how leading painters of the era revived the medium, elevating it to a form of artistic expression in its own right. Chris Stephens, director of the Holburne Museum, noted that while the paintings of the Impressionists are widely familiar, their contributions to printmaking are often forgotten. He explained that the same generation of artists, along with their successors, radically transformed the craft.
The Inspiration Behind the Exhibition
Stephens conceived the idea for the show after encountering some Gauguin woodcuts at the Frieze Masters international art fair in London. He was struck by their sense of immediacy and began exploring how artists like Rembrandt and Goya had been celebrated printmakers in earlier centuries, but by the 1800s, the medium had declined. The exhibition aims to highlight how painters such as Manet, a key member of the Société des Aquafortistes, helped restore printmaking's status.
Notable Works on Display
Among the highlights is Manet's lithograph of fellow artist Berthe Morisot from 1872, which serves as the exhibition's publicity image. Visitors can also view Van Gogh's Gardener By an Apple Tree, a scene he sketched while visiting a retirement home. The show includes works from public collections like the Courtauld Gallery and the Ashmolean, as well as rarely seen pieces from private collections.
Stephens expressed particular admiration for etchings by James McNeill Whistler, which capture scenes of the Thames in London and Venice. He noted how Whistler used soft shading in his etchings to achieve a similar moody, misty effect found in his paintings. The exhibition also features prints by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose large, colourful lithographs promoted Parisian nightlife, and a series of Pablo Picasso pieces, including The Frugal Meal and minotaur etchings from the 1930s.
Collaborative Nature of Printmaking
Stephens emphasized that the inherently collaborative nature of printmaking fostered the exchange of ideas among artists, who also looked to Japanese printmakers for inspiration. The exhibition traces the evolution of the medium from the 1850s through to the 1930s, showcasing advancements in lithographic printing that enabled the production of vibrant, large-scale prints.
Beyond Impressionism: Printmaking from Manet to Picasso runs from 23 May to 13 September at the Holburne Museum. A second printmaking exhibition, The Transience of Light, opens on 22 May at the Victoria Art Gallery, featuring the work of landscape artist and master printmaker Norman Ackroyd.
