The Musée de Montmartre celebrates the opening of a spectacular new exhibition.
Above: private invitation champagne reception in the enchanting Renoir Gardens
École de Paris: The Marek Roefler Collection
12 rue Cortot 75018
Ends February 15, 2026
[Tamara de Lempicka, Portrait of a Russian Dancer; Henri Hayden, Chess Players]
(click to enlarge)
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Highlighting art critic André Warnod's 1925 term "École de Paris" for international artists who made Montmartre and Montparnasse pre-World War I hubs of creativity, this diverse group - mostly Jewish artists from Central and Eastern Europe, plus talents like Picasso (Spain), Modigliani (Italy), Foujita (Japan), and Rivera (Mexico) - nurtured avant-garde styles like cubism, fauvism, and expressionism. The exhibition showcases Polish masters from Marek Roefler’s collection, including Ossip Zadkine, Tamara de Lempicka, Moïse Kisling, and lesser-known figures like Henri Hayden, Eugène Zak, and Mela Muter.
The sheer number of works and artists is overwhelming. The show traces a north-south path through these iconic districts, blending influences from Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh with unique styles shaped by intellectual freedom, supported by figures like Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob. Part of the museum’s focus on artistic diversity and Montmartre’s legacy, it is backed by Poland’s Embassy in France and the Polish Institute in Paris, in partnership with Villa La Fleur museum in Poland and the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, with a companion publication. - BPJ
