Sebastian Smee
Kunstmuseum Den Haag
Friday 7 November
 |
ESNA is taking a new direction. In 2024, several founding board members bid farewell. Over the past year, the new board has taken the time to reflect on the future of ESNA. Our mission remains unchanged: to provide networking opportunities and encourage research on art of the long nineteenth century (1789-1914). At the same time, we have been rethinking how to build an even more dynamic and interactive society.
This event, organized in collaboration with the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, marks the launch of ESNA’s new identity, plans and ambitions.
One of these new initiatives is the Salon d’Automne, a recurring lecture, open to the general public, that will debut during this festive afternoon. Its aim is to invite new voices and fresh perspectives on the arts of the long nineteenth century and to open them up to broader audiences. Each edition will feature a distinguished speaker who can translate rigorous research into a compelling narrative that resonates with both scholars and art lovers.
We are thrilled to announce that the inaugural lecture will be given by Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Sebastian Smee. During the lecture he will discuss his most recent book Paris in Ruins: Love, War and the Birth of Impressionism (2024), in which he vividly explores how the horrific events of the Siege of Paris and the Paris Commune shaped the early works of artists such as Manet, Morisot, and Degas. Smee argues that Impressionism was ‘born in response to violence, civil war, and political intrigue’.
In his talk, Smee will share insights into the historical context explored in the book, his discoveries, and the challenges he faced during his research and writing process. He will also reflect briefly on his widely acclaimed earlier book, The Art of Rivalry (2016). Both works by Smee resonate strongly in two exhibitions Breitner vs Israels (2020) and New Paris (2025) curated by Frouke van Dijke, curator at Kunstmuseum Den Haag. Following the lecture, Smee and Van Dijke will engage in a conversation about their shared fascination with the turbulent fin de siècle, exploring both the parallels and contrasts in their work.
Kunstmuseum Den Haag
Friday 7 November 2025, 13.45-17.30 hrs
Tickets: €20 / students €10 (via https://eventix.shop/a3b8jqwq)
A New Direction for ESNA
13.45-14.00 Arrival and registration
14.00-14.30 ESNA becomes…[drum roll] introduction new plans
14.30-15.00 Coffee/tea break
Salon d’Automne
Moderator: Fleur Roos Rosa de Carvalho (Van Gogh Museum & ESNA board)
15.00-16.00: Lecture by Sebastian Smee
16.00-16.20: Conversation with curator Frouke van Dijke (Kunstmuseum Den Haag) on the themes of Paris in Ruins and the recent exhibition New Paris: from Monet to Morisot
16.20-16.50: Questions & discussion
16.50-17.30: Drinks & book signing
With thanks to:
Van Gogh Museum & Kunstmuseum Den Haag
