The quintessential painter of modern life in late 19th-century France, Manet captured many of the most important developments of French culture during the period, from its street life and café concerts to train stations and even summer vacations by the shore. Remarkable in their freshness and immediacy, Manet’s paintings of the sea and coastal vistas demonstrate his great versatility.
The exhibition includes about 100 paintings, drawings, and watercolors from 60 public and private collections in the United States and abroad. In addition to some 38 works by Manet, it includes works by Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Gustave Courbet, Berthe Morisot, James McNeil Whistler, and others. The exhibition explores the connections between these artists while addressing the development of seaside tourism that contributed to the popularity of French marine painting in this period.
The exhibition demonstrates Manet’s crossing of an artistic threshold, leading to innovative developments in painting. He and his contemporaries recorded not only the sea and its changing moods but also the many fashionable people who traveled to the shore in search of an escape from city life.
Manet and the Sea is organized by The Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. It will travel to the Van Gogh Museum (June 18- September 26, 2004).
Public Exhibition Days and Hours
The Museum is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday.
- Tuesday and Thursday 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
- Wednesday and Friday 10:00-9:00 (last ticket at 7:30)
- Saturday and Sunday 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
Although the Museum is normally closed on Mondays, there will be four days of special Monday hours for Manet and the Sea.
- Monday, February 16 (Presidents Day) 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
- Monday, March 8 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
($30 ticket for special "limited capacity" day of reduced visitorship; includes audio) - Monday, April 12 (follows Easter) 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
- Monday, May 31 (Memorial Day) 10:00-5:00 (last ticket at 3:30)
Museum galleries open on these Mondays include Berman, Stieglitz, and Levy galleries on the ground floor and Dorrance Galleries (Manet and the Sea), European Art 1850- 1900, and Modern and Contemporary Art on the first floor.
Tickets and Reservations
Visitors can obtain tickets for Manet and the Sea at the Museum during regular hours or order by telephone by calling (215) 235-SHOW(7469), daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (a nonrefundable service charge is added to all phone orders). Tickets can be purchased online, 24 hours per day by visiting www.philamuseum.org (a nonrefundable service charge is added to all web orders). General ticket prices are: adults ($20), seniors (62+), students with I.D., and youths 13-18 ($17), children 5-12 ($10), children 4 and younger are admitted free (no strollers, please).
NOTE: A discounted weekday ticket price ($15) is available for adults, seniors, students and youths (13-18) weekdays at 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, and 3:30 p.m. A complimentary audio tour including children’s audio stops is available with each exhibition ticket.
Manet and the Sea is made possible in Philadelphia by the Lincoln Financial Group Foundation. Additional funding was provided by the Delaware River Port Authority, The Pew Charitable Trusts, an endowment from The Annenberg Foundation for major exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Robert Montgomery Scott Endowment for Exhibitions, and an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Promotional support was provided by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and NBC 10 WCAU, and Amtrak.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States, showcasing more than 2,000 years of exceptional human creativity in masterpieces of painting, sculpture, works on paper, decorative arts and architectural settings from Europe, Asia and the Americas. The striking neoclassical building stands on a nine-acre site above the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street and houses more than 200 galleries. The Museum offers a wide variety of enriching activities, including programs for children and families, lectures, concerts and films.
For general information, call (215) 763-8100, or visit the Museum's website at www.philamuseum.org.