Segantini exhibition in Paris prioritizes myth over art historical context

The first French retrospective of Giovanni Segantini (1858–1899) at the Musée Marmottan in Paris, co-curated by his great-granddaughter Diana Segantini and art historian Gabriella Belli, emphasizes the painter's personal legend over his artistic influences. The exhibition traces his life from an orphaned childhood to his death at 2,700 meters in the Swiss Alps, framing him as a self-taught prophet despite evidence of formal training and connections. Segantini's career was shaped by dealer Vittore Grubicy, who introduced him to Divisionism after contact with Anton Mauve and Vincent van Gogh. The show downplays these networks, though a parallel display of Anselm Kiefer's homages to Segantini (1988–2025) hints at his legacy. Critics note the missed opportunity to explore Segantini's impact on artists like Wassily Kandinsky, who called him 'the most abstract of painters.'