MONET TO PICASSO , GRAND MASTERS OF THE WESTERN PAINTING
PIERRE BONNARD
EUGENE BOUDIN
GEORGES BRAQUE
MARC CHAGALL
GIORGIO DE CHIRICO
SALVADOR DALI
JEAN DUBUFFET
RAOUL DUFY
DIEGO GIACOMETTI
MOISE KISLING
LE CORBUSIER
HENRI LEBASQUE
FERNAND LEGER
ANDRE LHOTE
EDOUARD MANET
ALBERT MARQUET
HENRI MARTIN
HENRI MATISSE
JOAN MIRO
CLAUDE MONET
FRANCIS PICABIA
PABLO PICASSO
PIERRE - AUGUSTE RENOIR
AUGUSTE RODIN
ALFRED SISLEY
MAURICE UTRILLO
KEES VAN DONGEN
MAURICE DE VLAMINCK
Paris has been the focal point of all painters from the 19th century up to mid 20th century. The art of painting was being learned in Paris studios and movements that sometimes contradicted and sometimes completed each other were being born there. In this context, we might say that the Turkish painting was born in Paris too. Pioneers of Turkish painting, Osman Hamdi Bey, Suleyman Seyyid, Seker Ahmet Pasa et al had their training in Paris. They had met the masterpieces of Western Painting in the museums of this city. This became a traditon which is still alive today.
Almost all of most prominant modern and contemporary Turkish painters lived in Paris, created in Paris an deven died in Paris. Unfortunately, the economics of Turkish art scene wasn’t adequately competant to include western artists from impressionism to today, until these days. Parallel to developing economy, opening to the world and globalisation brought with it the culture and art of modernity. Nowadays Turkish artists hold exhibitions and are included in many museums all around the world. After our first exhibition of “Grandmasters of Western Painting” in 2004, we are happy to bring together Istanbul art-lovers and eloborately chosen works by 36 western artists in another exhibition, today. Even the names of such artists as Monet, Manet, Renoir, Picasso, Dali, Chagall, Miro and Rodin, included in this exhibition, were considered to be unreachable in the not too distant past.
If an exhibition of such magnitude with purchasable works can be opened today, it only means that the Turkish collectors won’t be late to participate in the world art markets. We will be grateful and happy if we can have an even small conribution in this process.
Raffi Portakal
Nişantaşı, February 5, 2010