Why Impressionism Still Captivates Audiences a Century Later

Multiple German museums are currently staging Impressionist exhibitions, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Claude Monet's death. Anette Hüsch, director of the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, attributes the enduring appeal to the immediate beauty of color worlds and the shifting visual experience from distance to close-up. Patricia Rahemipour, director of the Institute for Museum Research, notes that high visitor numbers stem from the style's familiarity and positive emotional associations. The Alte Nationalgalerie presents 'Cassirer und der Durchbruch des Impressionismus,' highlighting dealer Paul Cassirer's early promotion of the movement. Museum Barberini in Potsdam focuses on Paul Signac and Neo-Impressionism, while Frankfurt's Städel recently showed 'Monets Küste – Die Entdeckung von Étretat.' Rahemipour says the number of Impressionist shows is constant but media attention is high. Hüsch emphasizes that seeing originals in person offers an irreplaceable experience of light, texture, and the artist's hand. The article also reports auction results: Henri Matisse's 'La Chaise lorraine' sold for $41.5 million at Sotheby's New York; Carla Accardi's double-sided work fetched €400,000 at Dorotheum Vienna; and Constantin Brancusi's 'Danaïde' achieved a record $93 million at Christie's New York. Brancusi's Berlin exhibition runs until August 9 at the Neue Nationalgalerie.