Madrid
Open now

Explore "Proust and the Arts": An Exhibition at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Explore Marcel Proust's profound connection to visual arts, architecture, and Parisian culture within his iconic writings.

The "Proust and the Arts" exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum explores the pivotal role of creative expression in the life and works of Marcel Proust. This showcase highlights the artistic, architectural, and landscape settings that shaped his celebrated literary masterpieces. Visitors can discover how Impressionist painters and Parisian culture influenced his aesthetic sensibilities and narratives.

About Proust and the Arts at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid

Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for Proust and the Arts at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid

Exhibition summary

This exhibition delves into the profound importance of art in the life and work of the influential 20th-century writer Marcel Proust. It explores the artistic, architectural, and landscape settings that shaped his worldview and literary masterpieces, highlighting the interrelation between art and his life.

Curatorial context

The exhibition "Proust and the Arts" at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum examines the deep connection between Marcel Proust, one of the 20th century's most significant literary figures, and the world of art. It highlights the aesthetic ideas Proust developed, the art, architecture, and landscapes that surrounded him and which he recreated in his books, and the artists who inspired him. The exhibition situates Proust within the vibrant Paris of the Third Republic, a city undergoing modernization, and explores how Impressionist painters' depictions of urban life influenced his aesthetic sensibilities. The exhibition begins with an early published work, "Pleasures and days," showcasing Proust's early enthusiasm for arts, music, theatre, and painting, alongside his frequent visits to the Musée du Louvre. His major novel, "In search of lost time," is also central, with its settings mirroring Parisian locales and landscapes portrayed by artists such as Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Monet, Boudin, and Dufy. The influence of theatre is underscored by a painting of Sarah Bernhardt, who inspired a character in his novel. Furthermore, the exhibition emphasizes Proust's engagement with art history as a developing discipline, his fascination with Venice and Gothic architecture, and his "Spanish connection" through figures like Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo. It also touches upon the significance of fashion in his writings, featuring designs by Fortuny and other contemporaries.

Admission and ticket notes

Information regarding tickets and guided tours for the "Proust and the Arts" exhibition is available. Visitors can book tickets with audioguides and can also sign up for guided tours, with some activities scheduled from March to June 2025 and others in April and May 2025. Specific dates for related talks and contests are also provided.

Proust and the Arts key exhibition facts

Review exhibition status, schedule, venue context, and attribution details for Proust and the Arts at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid

Venue
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Current status
Open now
Exhibition schedule
From Mar 1, 2025
Artist line / attribution
The exhibition features works by artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Dyck, Watteau, Turner, Fantin Latour, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Whistler, Antoine Bourdelle, Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo, Raimundo de Madrazo, Georges Clairin, and Raoul Dufy, among others.
More from Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Explore additional exhibitions from the same institution
Review other exhibitions from Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid to compare themes, timelines, and program direction while planning your museum visit.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Mauritshuis: An Exhibition of 17th-Century Dutch Masterpieces

Thyssen-Bornemisza Mauritshuis: An Exhibition of 17th-Century Dutch Masterpieces

See Vermeer's 'View of Delft' and other Dutch Golden Age treasures.

Explore a unique collaboration between the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Mauritshuis. This exhibition features exquisite 17th-century Dutch art, showcasing works by masters like Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and the famous 'View of Delft' by Johannes Vermeer.

View Exhibition Details
A watercolor portrait of a young Palestinian girl holding a key, symbolizing resilience and memory in Gaza, with a backdrop of damaged buildings and olive branches.

Gaza, where life endures: Photography Exhibition on Palestinian Resilience

Striking portraits and personal objects revealing enduring human spirit.

Explore a moving exhibition of ten portraits by an UNRWA photographer, documenting Palestinian survivors in Gaza. Each subject is shown with a cherished personal object, symbolizing resilience and the profound impact of everyday life. This visual testimony highlights hope amidst devastation.

View Exhibition
A surreal watercolor painting in purple tones depicting melting clocks, distorted figures, and a dreamlike landscape, evoking Salvador Dalí's artistic interpretation of Freudian psychology.
From Jan 1, 2026

The Freudian Universe of Dalí Exhibition at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Explore Dalí's art through the lens of psychoanalytic theory.

Discover the intricate connection between Salvador Dalí's art and Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories. This exhibition spans Dalí's entire career, revealing how Freudian thought profoundly influenced his unique Surrealist vision and artistic methods.

Dalí Freud Exhibition
A watercolor painting from Robert Nava's exhibition featuring hybrid creatures, a skull with red eyes, and a shark-toothed structure, rendered in purple, yellow, and green tones.

Robert Nava Exhibition: A Contemporary Art Retrospective at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Explore the unique style of American artist Robert Nava.

This retrospective features 17 large-format works by Robert Nava from 2019 to 2024. His art challenges conventional taste, drawing from diverse influences to create a new mythology of hybrid creatures.

Robert Nava Exhibition
A watercolor artwork in shades of purple and lavender depicting a winding river, surrounded by leaf-like forms and symbolic Mapuche motifs, representing the Cautín River and ancestral cosmovision.
From Oct 25, 2023

Cautín: Seba Calfuqueo Exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art

Discover Mapuche perspectives on nature and cultural resistance.

Seba Calfuqueo's European debut, "Cautín," features compelling new commissions. This exhibition uses the Cautín River as a metaphor to explore indigenous Mapuche cosmovision, colonial history, and how we relate to the natural world.

Cautín Exhibition
A watercolor illustration of an art exhibition gallery with three sections: Landscapes, Female Artist's Voice, and Still Life & Figure Studies, featuring paintings and sculptures in a purple-hued museum setting.

Carmen Laffón: Variations — A Major Exhibition at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Discover the figurative world of the acclaimed Sevillian painter and sculptor.

This major exhibition showcases over eighty works, including paintings and sculptures, by Carmen Laffón. Organized thematically, it highlights her recurring motifs and genres developed throughout her sixty-year artistic career, offering insight into her unique vision.

Carmen Laffón Exhibition
Madrid

Find Exhibitions in Madrid: Explore Current Showcases and Cultural Events

Discover Madrid’s diverse art, history, and science cultural displays.

Navigate through Madrid’s vibrant exhibition scene to uncover artistic, historical, and scientific showcases. Pinpoint specific cultural experiences and plan your visits with ease. Explore an array of compelling displays across the city.