There are some fantastic exhibitions set to take place throughout 2019, especially in cities across Europe. Combining visiting a new exhibition about your favorite artist or public figure with a trip around continental cities like Barcelona and Vienna is an excellent way to travel. To give you some inspiration for an arty trip, here’s a selection of some of the hottest exhibitions set to take place in Europe this year.
Picasso: The Late Work – Potsdam, Germany
This intriguing exhibition gives a fascinating glimpse into the final works of Pablo Picasso, many of which have either never been presented in Germany before or exhibited to the public. The works are from the treasured collection of Picasso’s second wife, Jacqueline Picasso, and are currently managed by her daughter, Catherine Hutin-Blay. Hutin-Blay also plans to exhibit her own extensive collection of the polymath’s work at her home in the south of France during 2021.
Catch “Picasso: The Late Work” at the Museum Barberini, Potsdam from March 9, 2019, to June 16, 2019.
Tribute to Gaudi – Barcelona, Spain
This multilayered exhibition highlights the influence that renowned Modernista architect Antoni Gaudí had on the painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miró’s body of work and artistic expression. The “Gaudí series” of 21 prints created in the 1960s pays tribute to the structure and rhythm of Gaudí’s work while a selection of photographs by renowned photographer Joaquim Gomis details the architect’s unique forms that would later form the basis of Miró’s sculptures.
A little later in the summer, the city also plays host to an exhibit of a different kind: the European Poker Tour. During the last weeks of August, the best players from across Europe will descend upon the city to battle it out and become a champion player at this prestigious event.
Catch “Tribute to Gaudi” at the Fundació Joan Miró from June 20, 2019, to September 29, 2019.
Mark Rothko – Vienna, Austria
With over 40 works by Rothko, including the abstracts he is most famous for and earlier, figurative designs as well as pieces already in the Kunsthistorisches’ collection, this exhibit promises to cast a light on the American artist’s many inspirations, such as ancient Egyptian artifacts and the paintings of the Dutch Golden Age. Organized in association with Christopher and Kate Rothko, the artist’s children, this is an absolute must-see for any fan of abstract impressionism.
Catch “Mark Rothko” at the Kunsthistorisches Museum from March 12, 2019, to June 30, 2019.
Van Gogh and Britain – London, UK
This exhibition, which will be the largest Van Gogh presentation on British shores for a decade, explores the link between the Big Smoke and the impressionist’s work. Working as an art dealer in London during his youth, British culture and the art that he saw in the city (think John Constable and Everett Millais) made a deep impression on Van Gogh, even inspiring later works such as his famous “Sunflowers.”
Catch “Van Gogh and Britain” at Tate Britain from March 27, 2019, to August 11, 2019.
Leonardo da Vinci – Paris, France
A visit to the Louvre would be a highlight of any trip to Paris, but if you can make it to the French capital from October to February next year, you’ll be able to indulge in the most spectacular da Vinci exhibition yet. Marking the 500th anniversary of the Florentine master’s death, this exhibition will bring together almost one-third of his entire body of work (including all five large works), alongside internationally owned masterpieces, such as those from the collection of Queen Elizabeth II.
Catch “Leonardo da Vinci” at the Louvre from October 24, 2019, to February 24, 2020.
