This summer, a collection of impressionist works by some of Europe’s most notable artists will be on temporary display at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). Impressionist Treasures: The Ordrupgaard Collection contains 76 paintings by primarily French and Danish artists, and it’s one of the main new exhibitions for the gallery this year.
“This will give you a great overview of an extraordinary moment in human culture,” said Marc Mayer, the NGC’s director and CEO. “We are very, very happy to be the only museum in North America to present it.”
The quality of the art in the collection is demonstrated through works by Claude Monet, Pierre-August Renoir, Berthe Morisot, Paul Cézanne, Christen Købke and many more.
“It’s quite an exceptional collection,” said Erika Dolphin, the associate curator of the NGC and organizing curator of the exhibit. “The level of quality of the works of art is outstanding.”
The history of the collection dates back to 1892. Wilhelm Hansen, a Danish insurance salesman, and his wife, Henny, started buying Danish artwork for their Copenhagen apartment. As their collection got bigger, they decided to move to a rural home outside of the city on Ordrupgaard. There, they continued to collect art until 1931. The Hansens’ property has been a popular art museum since 1953. As the Ordrupgaard undergoes a series of renovations, the museum’s artwork is going on a tour of art museums around the world.
“The small museum in the outskirts of Copenhagen is not a place that all of us get to visit,” Dolphin said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the Canadian public to see something that isn’t particularly easily accessible to us, living on this side of the Atlantic.”
In addition to the Ordrupgaard Collection, the NGC has opened two other major exhibits. The Extended Moment: Fifty Years of Collecting Photographs highlights many pieces of photographic artwork from the gallery’s collection.
There is also an exhibit highlighting the silverwork of Quebec artist Laurent Amiot, titled Laurent Amiot: Canadian Master Silversmith. This year marks 30 years since the National Gallery moved to its permanent location on Sussex Drive.
“I just really hope the public comes,” Dolphin said. “It’s an exhibition you can enjoy on a purely aesthetic level.”
The Ordrupgaard Collection will be on display until September.
Photo by Jeff Pelletier
