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A fleeting and rare rendezvous at the Courtauld
Bringing Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld’s extensive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections together on the third floor of the gallery
By
Rhea Mathur
February 24, 2025
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
Francisco de Goya’s Still Life with Three Salmon Steaks (1808-1812) was painted in oil on canvas during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), a six-year battle between the British Army and Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupying French forces. The salmon steaks, dripping with blood and with deep, open wounds, lie piled on top of one another, conveying a scene from the end of a battle and signifying the brutality of war. Their disposition is disturbingly reminiscent of post-war images of those killed in battle. In today's context, the salmon steaks also serve as a haunting reflection of humanity’s ongoing exploitation of nature—lifeless and conquered, resting on a cold, metallic surface.
This popular painting is one of many in the Courtauld Gallery’s Goya to Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection whose presence feels like a wonderful coming home. On view till 26 May 2025, the exhibition is located on the illustrious third floor of the building, renowned for its collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Many artists, including Goya, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh, are featured in the permanent collection and this exhibition. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld - who met when Courtauld gave his collection of works to the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1932 - placed Impressionist work at the heart of their collections.
Renoir’s Lily and Greenhouse Plants (1864) is at the centre of the first room, painted when the artist was twenty-three. Departing from traditional still lifes of neatly arranged flowers in vases, Renoir captures them growing freely in a Parisian park instead. He also opts for a larger, elongated canvas, typically reserved for portraits. Without ornate vases or pots, the work transitions into a portrait of a different life form, shifting the viewer’s gaze to the natural beauty surrounding us.
Similarly, Gustave Courbet’s The Wave (1870) is a breathtaking depiction of a rising wave in the sea. With hints of purple that portray a stormy sky, the turbulent water produces a gigantic wave that crashes against nearby rocks. In this moment of impact, Courbet captures the sheer power and intensity of the sea. By capturing both the rise and the crash of the wave, he takes his viewer on a journey, and the movement makes the sea feel real and alive.
This exhibition is the first time many works from Reinhart’s collection, Am Römerholz, have been showcased outside of Winterthur, Switzerland. Reinhart began collecting art in 1919, following in his father, Theodor’s footsteps. While running one of the world’s leading trading companies, Theodor believed in a holistic lifestyle where the cultural and social were equally important. He supported up-and-coming artists, including Hermann Haller, one of Switzerland's founders of modern sculpture. Through acquisitions, sponsorships, and funding a museum wing in Winterthur, Theodor invested heavily in the proliferation of young artists in the country, paving the way for his son. As Oskar notes, “To be able to grow up among artists and to be educated by them to look- that was the great stroke of luck of my youth”.
Now, Oskar Reinhart’s Am Römerholz is a remarkable collection of over two hundred works of art, including drawings, textiles and sculptures. Initially housed in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, this collection is now owned by the Swiss Confederation and sits in a villa, open to the public, on Winterthur's outskirts and close to Zurich. The collection celebrates European art history between the 14th and 20th centuries, featuring work by Old Masters and French impressionists alike.
In the two exhibition rooms at the Courtauld, masterpieces from this collection come together with Courtauld’s works, creating a rare and beautiful moment where an extensive Impressionist collection is displayed in unison. The beauty also lies in the conversations between the paintings. Courbert’s use of a palette knife instead of a brush was greatly admired by Cezanne and caused him to experiment with a similar technique in his early works. Paul Gauguin, whose best-known works such as Te Rerioa (1897) are part of the Courtauld collection, was borne out of his desire to paint something completely new, a thought he conveyed in his letters to fellow Impressionists. However, Reinhart’s collection brings his Blue Roofs (1884), which was painted much before this shift in his inspiration, which comes across as being made by a completely different artist. This exhibition allows the viewer to look at the conversations between the paintings and the more extensive history of Impressionist artists.
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