5 Major European Museum Exhibitions You Need To See This Summer!

Seeing as everybody and everything (yes we are referring to artworks here) seem to be on the road these days, we have put together a guide with the most interesting and inspiring exhibitions featuring modern artists across the European continent. Find Giacometti in London, admire Dubuffet in Amsterdam, follow Yves Klein to Brussels, stop by Cézanne in Paris and catch up with Picasso in Madrid!

TATE MODERN (London)

Giacometti (until September 10th)



_{Alberto Giacometti, Man Pointing, 1947, Tate © Alberto Giacometti estate / ACS+DACS in the UK, 2017.}


This summer, Tate Modern is hosting the UK’s first major retrospective of the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti’s (1901 - 1966) work in over twenty years.

The sculptor, painter and draughtsman’s distinctive elongated figures have certainly secured a place within the modern art historical canon as some of the most recognizable images of the 20th century.

The exhibition features over 250 works by the artist, including plasters and drawings which have never before been on public display. 

Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

Dubuffet in the Rijksmuseum gardens (until October 1st)



_{Jean Dubuffet, Monument au fantôme, 1969–1971, ©2017 Fondation Dubuffet, Paris / Pictoright, Netherlands. Foto Johannes Schwartz.}

The main theme in French artist Jean Dubuffet’s (1901 - 1985) work is man amongst nature and culture, which becomes abundantly clear when you study his recognizable red, white and blue sculptures.

Dubuffet only turned to sculpture later in his career, after focusing on painting during the 1950’s and 60’s. Twelve of his monumental pieces are currently being displayed in the gardens of the Dutch national museum, most of which have never been exhibited in the Netherlands before.

This wonderful setting provided the perfect place to sit and ponder whilst enjoying the view.

Bozar (Brussels)

Yves Klein – Theatre of the Void (until August 20th)



_{Yves Klein, Untitled blue monochrome, IKB 79, 1959, paint on canvas on plywood, 1397 x 1197 x 32 mm. © Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2016.}


This exhibition explores the ultramarine interpretations of the French artist Yves Klein’s (1928-1962) ideas on spirituality and mystic rituals through his most famous works, unseen masterpieces and rarely-exhibited visual works.

The French monochromist is nowadays remembered for his pioneering contributions to performance art as well as being an important inspiration to minimal art. But most of all for developing International Klein Blue, whose visual impact is still strong today.

Musée d’Orsay (Paris)

Portraits by Cézanne (until September 24th)



_{Paul Cézanne, Boy in a Red Waistcoat, 1888-1890, oil on canvas, 89.5 x 72.4 cm.}


Paul Cézanne (1839 - 1906) was an avid portraitist and produced almost 200 portraits during his lifetime.

This exhibition explores the unique pictorial and thematic characteristics of these paintings, including the chronological development that led to changes in his style and method.

The museum considers these works to be his most personal, including several paintings of his Uncle Dominique and his assistant Vallier.

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid)

Picasso’s path to Guernica (until September 4th)



_{Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía Collection © Sucesión Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Madrid, 2017.}


Picasso’s Guernica is one of the most tragic scenes of Western-European culture.

This exhibition presents a selection of the results from the Fondo Documental Guernica research project that was aimed at adding a greater understanding of the painting’s origins, the propaganda it has been used for and its place in art history.

How did Picasso’s concerns inform the final picture? Find out in the lead-up to one of the world’s most famous paintings. 

For more available art please have a look at our online collection!