By: Khalailah Bynoe
The gallery buzzed with excited New Yorkers and tourists alike, all waiting to experience Monet’s adventures through Venice. The Brooklyn Museum’s Monet and Venice exhibit, which opened on Oct. 11, is the largest Monet exhibition in New York in over 25 years.
The exhibit is dedicated to Claude Monet, a well-known French artist who painted “Impression, Sunrise” in 1872, which launched the Impressionist movement.
The Impressionist movement consisted of artists painting with visual brushstrokes and emphasizing light and color when painting a fleeting moment. Monet was fond of painting landscapes and water, which he captured en plein air, a French term for painting outdoors.
“It’s thrilling to reunite so many of Monet’s radiant paintings of Venice, including Brooklyn’s own Palazzo Ducale, which was acquired in 1920 and is emblematic of the Museum’s trailblazing commitment to modern French art,” said Lisa Small, Senior Curator of European Art, Brooklyn Museum. “We’re eager for our visitors to ‘travel’ to Venice and immerse themselves in the unfolding beauty of these dazzling paintings.”
In 1908, his wife, Alice Monet, urged him to take a trip to Venice, hoping the journey would reinvigorate him. Begrudgingly, he left his home in Giverny but was soon captivated by Venice’s beauty. Once there, Monet exclaimed, Venice was “too beautiful to be painted.” During his two months in Venice, he created 37 paintings.
The exhibit features Monet’s 1908 “Palazzo Ducale,” an oil on canvas. The Palazzo Ducale overlooks the Venetian Lagoon, which was once a main point of entry into the city. Its spectacular Gothic architecture welcomed tourists and set the tone for the city. The painting’s blues, pinks, and oranges brought the Palazzo Ducale to life, with an impressive reflection of it painted on the water by Monet. Another on display is Monet’s 1908 oil sketch on canvas, “The Red House,” which features a striking red house inspired by Venetian houses near the water. Both works were Impressionist, of which Monet was a prominent contributor.
A special mention is Monet’s 1914-17 “Water Lilies,” a recurring subject in many of his paintings, which is also on display in the exhibition. While not inspired by Venice, Monet was fond of painting the lilies on his property in Giverny, where he planted them himself.
“We’re delighted to present this groundbreaking exhibition offering a fresh opportunity for visitors to engage with one of the world’s most celebrated artists in a bold new way,” said Anne Pasternak, the director of the Shelby White and Leon Levy program at the Brooklyn Museum. “Through thoughtful interpretation and design, we invite our audiences to see Venice through Monet’s eyes and feel inspired by his vision.”
An original symphonic score by Niles Luther, the Brooklyn Museum’s Composer in Residence, heightens the experience, as it is heard through the exhibit. The score is inspired by the Venice paintings on display.
“My process is one of discovery, not invention—uncovering music no one has yet heard. Blending Italian, French, and American traditions, the composition mirrors Monet’s shimmering, dissolving Venice, transforming brushstrokes into living sound that surrounds the listener with both light and longing,” said Luther.
Once attendees complete the walkthrough of the Monet and Venice exhibit, there is the opportunity for them to create their own Monet at an activity table near a photobooth to capture the moment. Monet said, “My trip to Venice has had the advantage of making me see my canvases with a better eye.”
This exhibit will be on display until Feb. 1, 2026, and is currently held in the Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, 5th Floor at the Brooklyn Museum.
For more information regarding this and future exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, visit their website at https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/.