Impressionism now: New directions in the field

Organised alongside the exhibition 'Renoir and Love' (3 October 2026 – 31 January 2027), this international conference builds on recent research on Impressionism. Bringing together museum professionals, academics, conservators and independent scholars, 'Impressionism now: New directions in the field' aims to highlight new lines of enquiry and ask where the most vital directions in the study of Impressionism lie today.

Impressionism remains among the most widely exhibited and studied movements in the history of art, but the field has changed significantly. Research that takes a more international view and examines the impact of colonialism challenges long-established Francocentric narratives. At the same time, new approaches expand the questions asked about Impressionist artists, objects, and practices. Together, these developments encourage us to rethink the movement's histories, geographies, and meanings. This symposium explores how the field can continue to be renewed, and which established narratives might now be reconsidered.

The conference will feature emerging scholars, museum professionals and established speakers from international institutions such as the Musée d'Orsay (Paris), the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), the University of Glasgow and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, among many others.