Musée d'Orsay's Impressionism in VR: A Time Travel to 1874 Paris
Extended Reality
2-minute read
On the evening of April 15, 1874, at 8 p.m., an exhibition opened in Paris that would turn the art world on its head. A group of artists, somewhat on the fringes at the time, were eager to challenge the mainstream art scene, dominated by the Salon, during the Paris 1874 exhibition.
Rebelling against the established system and societal norms, they transformed these fleeting moments into eternal symbols with revolutionary brushstrokes. They were pioneers of the Impressionist movement, a term that would later describe masters such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas.
On that fateful night, 165 works were showcased. Masterpieces including Monet's "Impression, Sunrise," pivotal in the history of the Impressionist movement, Manet's "The Fifer," and Renoir's "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette" were all on display—many of which would later find homes in the Musée d'Orsay and the Orangerie Museum, famously repurposed from a train station in the 1980s.
Now, you can travel back in time and become an audience member at that very first Impressionist exhibition, witnessing that epoch-defining moment in the history of Impressionism!
Taking a journey through time to absorb the history of the Impressionist movement seems like a splendid idea. (Source: Musée d’Orsay)
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Impressionism, and the Musée d'Orsay, a bastion of Impressionism, is celebrating with the exhibition "Paris 1874: Inventing Impressionism." One of the highlights is a VR experience that takes visitors back to the opening night of the Paris exhibition that launched the Impressionist movement. Curator Anne Robbins states that there is much to learn about the history of the Impressionist movement, and she hopes this exhibition will reveal just how radical these artists were at the time.
The 45-minute VR journey, "Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874," is a collaborative production by Excurio and GEDEON Experience—with the former being a long-term partner of VIVE Arts and known for works like "Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass" at the Louvre, "Horizon of Khufu" set in ancient Egypt 4500 years ago, and "Eternal Notre-Dame" currently on display at the Kaohsiung Science and Technology Museum. The latter's representative work includes 'Sagrada Familia: Gaudí's Unfinished Masterpiece.' With the help of the VIVE Focus 3 headset, every step and turn during the journey feels like walking among the masterpieces of the Impressionists, listening to the unique stories behind each famous painting.
Put on the VIVE Focus 3 and return to the Paris of 1874, admire the masterpieces up close, and perhaps even greet Monet himself. (Source: Musée d’Orsay)
Moreover, thanks to VIVE's Location Based Entertainment (LBE) technology, visitors can do more than just walk through the exhibition halls. They can also explore scenes that deeply influenced the Impressionist painters, such as the studio of Frédéric Bazille, where the idea of holding the Paris exhibition was conceived; La Grenouillère, where Monet and Renoir painted together; and the port of Le Havre, where Monet created his famous "Impression, Sunrise."
VR technology allows viewers to step outside the traditional framework of understanding art history. After all, what could be better than seeing for oneself how Monet painted, visiting the first Impressionist exhibition, and strolling through the landscapes they saw to truly comprehend how they changed the course of art? The exhibition runs from March 26 to August 11 this year. If you're visiting Paris, don't miss the chance to join in the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Impressionist movement at the Musée d'Orsay.
