On sort! Les loisirs avec Bonnard et son époque

From the mid-19th century onwards, the new organization of working hours contributed to the rise of leisure activities. Paris and its surrounding region became the driving force behind this transformation in France and Europe. This phenomenon played a key role in the success of Impressionism, but it was the artists of the following generation, belonging to the "Belle Époque" (1890-1914), who truly marked a turning point in the artistic expression of modernity.

Leisure and entertainment, both day and night, expanded in all forms, continually attracting a growing audience from diverse social backgrounds. Boating, ice skating, horse racing, circuses, cabarets, theaters, and music halls became popular subjects for many artists, including Anquetin, Bonnard, Dufy, Pourtau, Roussel, Toulouse-Lautrec, Vallotton, as well as Abel-Truchet, Chabaud, Ibels, and Albert André.

Curated by Véronique Serrano, the catalog features essays by Julia Csergo, a historian specializing in contemporary society, and Gilles Genty, an art historian, each providing in-depth insights into the scope of leisure culture during the Belle Époque. Their texts are accompanied by detailed and illustrated entries on all the exhibited works, bringing together an exceptionally rich visual corpus.