Félix Ziem, light on canvas

From 16 December 2023 to 21 April 2024, the Palais Lumière in Évian, France, presents an exhibition dedicated to the painter Félix Ziem (1821-1911).

Source: Paris Musées – Image: Félix Ziem, “Constantinople, Sainte-Sophie au soleil levant”, c.1870-90. Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris

One of the most prominent members of the Barbizon School, to which artists such as Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot and Jean-François Millet belonged, Félix Ziem was noted for his interest in travel and the landscapes of places such as Venice and the Near East. The popularity of his works enabled him to financially support several young painters from his residence in Montmartre.

In a press release, the Paris Musées stated: “An Orientalist painter, Félix Ziem (1821-1911) was a nomadic, unclassifiable and eccentric artist. This great traveller, friend of the Barbizon painters and admirer of Le Lorrain and Turner, occupies an original place in 19th century art. Ziem attracted a wide clientele, who loved to dream of Venice or Constantinople in front of the luminous landscapes that forged his reputation. The exhibition includes a hundred works from the Ziem donation (56 paintings, a selection of watercolours, drawings and travel diaries), which were donated to the museum in 1905.”