Nabi: Prophets of New Art Exhibition at the Royal Łazienki Museum

This exhibition at the Royal Łazienki Museum presents nearly a hundred works by Nabi artists, who significantly influenced the development of modern art. Featuring paintings by masters such as Maurice Denis, Paul Ranson, and Paul Sérusier, the exhibition draws from Polish and international collections, including the renowned Musée d'Orsay.

The exhibition "Nabi: Prophets of New Art" showcases the fundamental role played by artists such as Paul Sérusier, Pierre Bonnard, Paul Ranson, Maurice Denis, Xavier Roussel, Georges Lacombe, Édouard Vuillard, and Félix Vallotton in shaping modern art. Although they functioned as an artistic group primarily between 1888 and 1899 in France, rejecting academic painting principles in favor of bold color, clear contours, and decorative elements, their influence extended widely, inspiring numerous later artists including the Cubists. The term "Nabi," meaning "prophet" in Arabic and Hebrew, reflects the group's own perception of their movement. This exhibition traces the movement's origins, its connection to Paul Gauguin and the Pont-Aven School, and features works of religious, esoteric, interior, and genre scenes. It also highlights the influence of the literary and artistic journal "La Revue Blanche." The display comprises over 90 works in painting, drawing, and graphics, sourced from eleven public institutions in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Hungary, many of which have never been shown in Poland. Significant contributions include iconic pieces from the Musée d'Orsay, such as Maurice Denis's "Plama słońca na tarasie" (Sun Spot on the Terrace). Additional works come from eleven private collections and nine Polish public collections, including pieces by Władysław Ślewiński, who was closely associated with the École de Pont-Aven and influenced by Gauguin and the Nabis. Other Polish artists whose works, inspired by the Nabis, are featured include Mela Muter, Stanisław Wyspiański, Marian Wawrzeniecki, Edward Okuń, Jan (Jean) Mirosław Peske, Witold Wojtkiewicz, Wacław Żaboklicki, Karol Frycz, Bolesław Biegas, Henryk Hayden, Jan Rubczak, and Eugeniusz Zak. Curated by Dr. Ewa Bobrowska and Jean-René Saillard, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to re-examine the transformations in late 19th-century art and underscore cultural ties between France and Poland.

Standard tickets are 30 zł, with reduced rates available for concessions at 15 zł and for adults with a Large Family Card at 20 zł. Entry is free on Fridays. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in Podchorążówka or online.