Conceived 10 years ago by Simon Kelly, the museum’s curator of modern and contemporary art, and organized in conjunction with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the exhibition seeks to expand the narrative of the beginnings of modern art.

Masterworks on loan from many of the world’s greatest museums situate Millet’s imagery within the context of work by a wide, international range of artists whom he influenced, including Vincent van Gogh, Winslow Homer, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Georges Seurat, Salvador Dalí and others.

Millet was a pioneer in developing innovative imagery of rural peasantry, landscapes and nudes, and his work had a deep impact on later generations of artists. In the late-19th century, he was arguably the best-known modern painter, and his works sold for the highest prices of any modern pictures at auction

Capacity to the exhibition is limited under the museum’s COVID protocols, and visitors are strongly encouraged to secure tickets in advance through MetroTix. Visitors are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.