How did Jews shape Parisian arts and culture in the fin de siècle period of the 1800s and beyond? This summer, find out about the Jewish artists, performers, collectors and dealers who flourished in spite of the surges in antisemitism that frequently disrupted life in Paris. This series is run in partnership with the Lyons Learning Project.
Events (both online and in-person) begin at 7.30pm (BST). Streaming links* will be sent out shortly before each event. See below for full details.
*If you booked your ticket and have not received the link by 5pm on the day of the event, please check your spam folder and, if it's not there, email programming@jewishrenaissance.org.uk.
JR has an ethical ticketing policy and is offering free tickets to the online lectures, but if you can afford it, please donate to support our work. We are proposing denominations of 18 – the numerical value of the Hebrew word 'chai', meaning 'life'.
Monday 3 June
150 Years of Impressionism: Private View and Lecture
April 1874 saw the opening of Hungry for Independence in Paris, featuring the work of impressionist artists such as Monet, Degas, Pissarro and Cézanne. A century and half on, the Stern Pissarro Gallery in London is celebrating with 150 Years of Impressionism, which runs from 30 May to 29 June. We’ll be hosting an exclusive private view of the exhibition, followed by a talk with its directors David Stern and Lélia Pissarro, the great-granddaughter of impressionist painter Camille Pissarro.
VENUE: Stern Pissarro Gallery, London, SW1A 1NE
Monday 10 June
L’école Juive: Art in Paris in the early 20th Century
In certain parts of bohemian Montparnasse in the early 20th century, Yiddish was more often heard than French. This illustrated talk by art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen will explore the fascinating story of the so-called Jewish School of Paris (L’école Juive), comprising artists mostly from Russia and Eastern Europe. Among them were the likes of Marc Chagall, Pinchus Krémègne, Jules Pascin and Chaim Soutine, who were attracted by the freedoms the City of Light offered, but ultimately met with a mixed reception.
Monday 17 June
The Divinely Jewish Sarah Bernhardt
Dubbed ‘The Divine Sarah’ by her fans, Sarah Bernhardt became an international star of stage and screen, as famous for her excess and eccentricities as for her acting. In this talk with JR’s executive director Dr Aviva Dautch, we will explore her career, consider the ways she was viewed by her contemporaries and consider the meaning behind her public declaration – in the face of intense antisemitism – that “I am a daughter of the great Jewish race”.
Monday 24 June
The House of Fragile Things: Jewish Art Collectors and the Fall of France
In the dramatic years between 1870 and the end of World War II, a number of prominent French Jews invested their fortunes in France’s cultural artefacts, sacrificed their sons to the country’s army and were ultimately rewarded by seeing their collections plundered and families deported to Nazi concentration camps. We’re joined by James McAuley, a columnist for The Washington Post’s Global Opinions supplement, to explore the role that art and material culture played in the assimilation and identity of French Jews during this period, as detailed in his book, The House of Fragile Things.
Monday 1 July
Jewish Art Dealers in Paris
How did Jews contribute to the changing market for art and antiques in Paris during the interwar period? Historian DrTom Stammers tackles the question in this talk, looking at Jewish art dealers such as Seligman, Gimpel, Kahnweiler and Rosenberg, who wielded enormous influence in the Parisian art market despite widespread antisemitism.
