The morning of March 28th I saw one of the most inspiring shows of my art history tenure. Entitled “Black models: from Géricault to Matisse”, the exhibition highlighted the major contributions of black people and personalities in art history.

The exhibition is based on Denise Murrell’s 2013 dissertation for Columbia University’s department of art history and archaeology, as is the Posing Modernity catalog, co-published by Yale University Press. It debuted in NYC at the Wallach Art Gallery in from October 24, 2018 to February 10, 2019, where Murrell, Ph.D., served as curator of the exhibition in New York and is the Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University.

The curators for the Paris exhibition are Cécile Debray, Director of the Musée de l’Orangerie, Stéphane Guégan, scientific advisor to the President of the Musées d’Orsay and Orangerie, Denise Murrell, Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University, Isolde Pludermacher and Edouard Papet, curators at the Musée d’Orsay.

Please enjoy some of the works from the show below:

Charles Cordier’s sculptures, created during the 1847-1848 period in which he celebrated the rich diversity in his models.

Romare Bearden “Patchwork Quilt” 1970

Jacques-Eugéne Feyen “Le Baiser Enfantin” 1865

Edouard Manet Jeanne Duval

Joseph Léon Roland de Lestang Parade “Mort du Camoëns” 1835

Frédéric Bazille Young Woman with Peonie

Édouard Manet “Enfants Aux Tuileries” 1861-1862

Please visit the exhibition through July 21, 2019.