MuMa Le Havre Exhibition Reveals Monet's Formative Years with Rare Works
From June 5 to September 27, 2026, the MuMa (Musée d'art moderne André Malraux) in Le Havre will host 'Monet au Havre' as part of the 'Monet 2026' initiative and the Normandie Impressionniste festival, commemorating the centenary of Claude Monet. This exhibition showcases nearly 80 pieces, emphasizing Monet's formative years from 1845 to 1874. Curated by Géraldine Lefebvre, it features early sketchbooks, portraits of his father Adolphe and brother Léon, as well as still lifes, illustrating Monet's caricature skills and pivotal moments in his artistic evolution. The exhibit wraps up with three significant works from Monet's 1910 donation. Interactive features include a tactile table and audio capsules by filmmaker Cédric Klapisch, alongside Ai Weiwei's two large-scale LEGO interpretations of Monet's 'Water Lilies.'
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Monet au Havre' runs from June 5 to September 27, 2026 at MuMa Le Havre.
- Part of 'Monet 2026' celebrations and Normandie Impressionniste festival's sixth edition.
- Nearly 80 works including many previously unseen paintings, drawings, and photographs.
- Focuses on Monet's formative years in Le Havre from 1845 to 1874.
- Curated by Géraldine Lefebvre, director of MuMa.
- Includes early portraits of Monet's father Adolphe and brother Léon, a color chemist.
- Features early still lifes, caricatures inspired by Nadar, and pastel sky studies.
- Key work 'Marine, effet de nuit' (1864) from National Galleries of Scotland prefigures Impressionism.
- Exhibition ends with three major works from Monet's 1910 donation: Varengeville, Parliament of London, and Nymphéas.
- Includes interactive table with city tour and audio capsules by filmmaker Cédric Klapisch.
- Ai Weiwei presents two monumental LEGO works reinterpreting Monet's Water Lilies, first time in France.
- Ai Weiwei's works use 650,000 LEGO bricks each, addressing commodification and personal exile.
Entities
Artists
- Claude Monet
- Eugène Boudin
- Jean Siméon Chardin
- Nadar
- Gustave Le Gray
- Cédric Klapisch
- Ai Weiwei
- Vincent Macaigne
- Adolphe Monet
- Léon Monet
- Gilbert Séverac
- Camille Monet
- Eugène Bayeux
- Frédéric Perquer
- Louis Joachim Gaudibert
Institutions
- MuMa (Musée d'art moderne André Malraux)
- Normandie Impressionniste
- National Gallery of Scotland
- National Gallery of Art (Washington)
- Musée Eugène Boudin
- Galleria Continua
- MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
- LEGO
- MuMA-musée d'Art moderne André Malraux
- Saitama Museum of Modern Art
- National Galleries of Scotland
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- National Gallery of Art, Washington
- musée d'Orsay
- musée Fabre, Montpellier
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Liège / La Boverie
- Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Connaissance des Arts
- Musée d'art moderne André Malraux (MuMa)
- Musée d'Orsay
- Marmottan Monet Museum
- MuMa - Musée d'art moderne André Malraux
Locations
- Le Havre
- France
- Sainte-Adresse
- Giverny
- Rouen
- Étretat
- Honfleur
- Varengeville
- London
- New York
- San Gimignano
- Italy
- Edinburgh
- Scotland
- Washington
- United States
- Rouelles
- Paris
- Normandy
- Saitama
- Japan
- Cleveland
- Liège
- Belgium
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Montpellier
- Hôtel de l'Amirauté
- 41-45 Grand Quai
- Quai de Southampton
- Quai au Bois
- Quai Courbe