5 exhibitions to see in Paris in December 2024

Ultra-realistic Swedish rabbits, a Rodin / Bourdelle face-to-face, flowery dresses, Pop Art in all its colors, Vietnamese art, or even an avalanche of surrealism, the month of December promises to explore ( almost) the entire history of art. We take stock of exhibitions to see in Paris in this month of December 2024.

Surrealism at the Center Pompidou

On the occasion of centenary of the Surrealist Manifesto by André Breton, the Center Pompidou is organizing a huge retrospective of the surrealist movement founded in 1924. Occupying almost the entire 5th floor, the chronological tour looks back at the beginnings of the surrealism and details its evolution, in connection with the political and social context of the time, in France and elsewhere. There we discover masterpieces by Dali (Dream caused by a bee flying around a pomegranate – 1944), by Magritte (The Empire of Lights – 1954), or even anthology documents (the astrological chart of Robert Desnos by André Breton – around 1930). We can also admire (and this is rare enough to underline it), the works of many female artists, much less known in the surrealist landscape (the disturbing works of Remedios Varo, for example).

For those who are worried about knowing nothing about surrealism, I recommend the two episodes of “Surrealist revolutions”, available on until and carried by the voice of Arthur Teboul (attention, available until 07/12 and 14/12 only).

Surrealismat the Center Pompidou
From September 4, 2024 to January 13, 2025
17€ full price / 14€ reduced price
11 a.m. – 9 p.m. every day, except Tuesday
Late nights 11am-11pm every Thursday
Reservation strongly recommended
Ticketing

Rodin / Bourdelle, Body to Body at the Bourdelle Museum

The Bourdelle Museumfreshly renovated, presents a major exhibition, in collaboration with the Rodin Museumwith 160 works by the two great French sculptors. Organized in three parts, the tour immerses the visitor in the complex relationship between the master and the assistant, delves deeper into the role Bourdelle played in Rodin's work and their reciprocal influences, strongly inspired by mythology. The interactive exhibition allows us to measure the influence that these two giants of sculpture had on the generations of artists who succeeded them.

We will of course continue the visit to the Rodin Museum in Paris, or the lesser known Rodin Museum in Meudon.

Rodin / Bourdelle, Hand to hand at the Bourdelle Museum
From October 2, 2024 to February 2, 2025
10€ full price / 7€ reduced price / free with the Paris Musées card
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday
Late nights 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. every Friday
Reservation recommended
Ticketing

The Flowers of Yves Saint-Laurent at the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum Paris

The Yves Saint-Laurent Museum plays the poetry card and presents an exhibition around the place of flowers in the world of the famous couturier. Drawing inspiration from the lush nature of Morocco and therefore naturally from its flowersYves Saint-Laurent regularly integrated them into his creations. But natural flowers also dialogue with their representations in artas in the paintings of Bonnard or the sentences of Proust in his long novel “In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flowers”. From drawing boards to dresses of a thousand colors, there is only one step that can be easily taken in the small rooms of the Workshop Museum.

We take the opportunity to visit the impressive workshop of Mr. Saint-Laurentbefore emerging into the Parisian grayness.

The Flowers of Yves Saint-Laurentat the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum Paris
From September 20, 2024 to May 4, 2025
10€ full price / 7€ reduced price
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday
Late nights 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. every Thursday
Reservation recommended
Ticketing

Bruno Liljefors, Wild Sweden, at the Little Palace

The Little Palace ends its exhibition cycle Scandinavian artists with a retrospective dedicated to the Swedish Bruno Liljefors.

The animal painter arouses wonder with particularly realistic paintings representing Swedish wildlife in their natural habitat. We contemplate squabbling birds, a rabbit blending into the winter snow, but also the pastel colors of Nordic sunsets. The exhibition will bring back memories for adults nostalgic for animal reports and will impress the youngest (who will have been careful to prepare for some sweetly bloody scenes of foxes on the hunt).

Bruno Liljefors, Wild Swedenat the Petit Palais
From October 1, 2024 to February 16, 2025
€12 full price / €10 reduced price / free with the Paris Musées card
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday
Late nights until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
Reservation recommended
Ticketing

Lê Phô, Mai-Thu, Vu Cao Dam, Pioneers of Vietnamese modern art in France, at the Cernuschi Museum

Echoing the centenary of the Hanoi School of Fine Artsthe Cernuschi Museum presents an important retrospective of three of the most important actors ofVietnamese modern art (Le Pho, Mai-Thu, Vu Cao Dam). Bringing together paintings, drawings, sculptures and even photographs, the exhibition reveals the most beautiful works of an art still little known in France. However, the three artists each led a long career in France, by choice, but also driven by the consequences of the 1975 war. Against a backdrop of Franco-Vietnamese political ties, the tour will allow you to (re)discover an engaged and political art. through lesser known techniques, such as painting on silk, or lacquer on wood.

Free with the Paris-Musée card, and less popular than the others, we recommend this exhibition to all curious and art lovers.

Lê Phô, Mai-Thu, Vu Cao Dam, Pioneers of Vietnamese modern art in Franceat the Cernuschi Museum
From October 11, 2024 to March 9, 2025
10€ full price / 8€ reduced rate / free with the Paris Musées card
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday
Ticketing