COMPTE RENDU - AFTV Cultural PL event: NGV Melbourne Winter Masterpieces

Posted 1 May

AFTV event at the NGV for the Impressionist Exhibition from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

On Sunday 15 June a sell out group of AFTV members and guests arrived at the NGV for an enthralling day, starting with a fascinating and informative lecture by Bertrand Bourgeois from the University of Melbourne French Department.

Bertrand provided an overall view of this collection of paintings, etchings and lithographs from Boston, discussing Pre Impressionism, Impressionism and Post, showing many early works rarely exhibited starting with The Barbizon School located around the forests of Fontainebleau( Rousseau, D'aubigny, Corot, Millet, Diaz la Pèna) where the landscapes, rocks, ponds, trees themselves were the feature, not mythological or religious characters. Bertrand then progressed to Boudin with his early Impressionist use of colour and strong brush strokes ( Storm at Trouville), a significant influence on the 16 years younger Monet. We then moved to the painters we were more familiar with- Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro and a couple of 'new' names- Dutch and Norwegian…and the way the Exhibition was created, painting 'en plein air' being made more feasible with the creation of paint in tubes and portable easels.

After lunch where colleagues had the opportunity to reflect and network before actually entering the exhibition where Bertrand had introduced us to the rooms by citing and discussing at least one work in each to explain the theme. Each of the 10 very differently decorated spaces was dedicated to an artist or a theme beginning with The Barbizon Room, then the Boudin Room, followed by rooms showing The Boston collections of examples of interiors with still lifes- fruit and flowers ( Fantin Latour, Van Gogh. Cézanne), portraits, (Manet, Victorine Meurent…) outdoor scenes of countryside ( Monet at Giverny and Antibes, Pissarro…) water- rivers, lakes and beaches, urban life ( Renoir- Dancers at Bougival, Degas- ballerinas, races at Longchamps, Pissarro…)

An astonishing collection and so creatively presented. À ne pas manquer!

Our thanks to both Svlvain Pereira and Bertrand Bourgois for offering us worksheets containing many interesting and varied worksheets for teachers to use in the classroom after organising a visit to this exhibition. (Check the NGV website for school visit FAQs) Our thanks also to David Menzies, Senior Educator at the NGV for all of his advice, assistance both beforehand and on the day.

My thanks to the Cultural/PL subcommittee, especially Claire Cowen for introducing and thanking Bertrand, and to Philippe and Dinah for their assistance with the organisation.

Gretchen Bennett, Convenor

Some participant feedback:

Thank you so much for organising the event on Sunday – both the lecture and the exhibition were wonderful and it was a great opportunity to meet some other French teachers.
An excellent inspirational address from Bertrand Bourgeois.
Just a quick message to thank the AFTV for this wonderful opportunity - it was a highly informative event and the art was incredible.
The exhibition was fabulous. Outstanding! Thank you Gretchen and Claire. More of these, please!
The introductory lecture made the viewing of the exhibition even more meaningful as we entered so well informed about Impressionism and how the exhibition was themed in each of the rooms.
Thank you to Gretchen, Dinah and all AFTV people involved in the organisation of the excellent Impressionists Exhibition at the NGV. Everything worked out really well. I was in heaven!

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