Monet – Mitchell

The 1950s saw a revival of interest in the works of Claude Monet in the United States, as the abstract expressionists came to view his late Water Lilies as pre-empting their own work. Joan Mitchell took the work of Monet more closely to heart than most; this exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (5 October–27 February 2023) presents more than 60 works by both artists, focusing on those produced by Mitchell after her pivotal move, in 1968, to the Parisian suburb of Vétheuil, where Monet spent three years from 1878–81; both artists drew inspiration from the natural landscape of the region. Major works by Mitchell on show here include Two Pianos (1980) and No Room at the End (1977), while a particular highlight is the presentation of Monet’s 13-metre- long Agapanthus triptych in full. Painted over the course of more than 10 years, Agapanthus (c. 1915–26) evolved from studies made in the artist’s famous garden at Giverny, featuring wisteria, irises and bamboo lining the banks of the pond. Find out more on the Foundation Louis Vuitton’s website.

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Agapanthus (1916–19), Claude Monet. Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

La Grande Vallée (1983), Joan Mitchell. Foundation Louis Vuitton. Photo: © Primae/Louis Bourjac; © The Estate of Joan Mitchell

Nymphéas (1916–19), Claude Monet. Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.

Two Pianos (1980), Joan Mitchell. Private collection. Photo: Patrice Schmidt; © The Estate of Joan Mitchell

The Artist’s House Seen From the Rose Garden (1922–24), Claude Monet. Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris