Manet & Morisot Exhibition Cleveland Museum of Art March 29 - July 5, 2026
The CMA press release says, "Manet & Morisot is the first ever major exhibition dedicated to the artistic exchange between Édouard Manet, often referred to as the father of modern painting, and Berthe Morisot, the only woman among the founding members of the Impressionist movement. Through comparisons of related works made between the late 1860s and the late 1880s, this exhibition traces the evolution of a singular friendship between two groundbreaking artists."
When you first go in, you will see photos of the two artists side-by-side to give you a sense that these were real people. The phrase "side-by-side" is important as you will see.
Berthe Morisot and Edouard Manet photos
One cool new addition is an interactive tablet that you can swipe to see details and more information.
There are thirty-six paintings and seven drawings and prints borrowed from museums and private collections in the United States and Europe but the setting of the works is what makes this a must-see exhibition. Many of the works are of the same topic and are presented side by side in the exhibition. This shows the relationship between the artists but also the similarities and differences.
The juxtaposition of the paintings are my favorite part. For example, here is CMA's curator of modern European art Heather Lemonedes Brown between two beach paintings. Facing them, the one on the left is by Manet and the right is by Morisot.
You can study the similarities and differences between them side-by-side but if you get a chance, take a guided tour to learn a lot more. Similarly there are two paintings of a woman in her boudoir presented side-by-side. The Manet on the left was shown about a week after Morisot showed hers (on the right).
And for the first time, this exhibition brings together, and displays side-by-side, the paintings of the artists portraying women as the four seasons. Curator Brown says that Morisot painted Summer and Winter first and then Manet painted Spring and Autumn. Any they are right next to each other to compare! Very cool.
It seems to have been a complex relationship. Manet and Morisot met around 1868 and were close colleagues-and at times competitors-for 15 years until Manet's death. More than just friends, they became family members when Morisot married Manet's younger brother Eugène in 1874. Cue the soap opera music.
Morisot's Summer
Morisot's Winter
Manet's Spring
Manet's Autumn
Be sure to watch the video below to hear Curator Brown explain some of these juxtapositions.
One thing that was interesting to me but didn't seem of great note to others I spoke to was this painting.
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It's not hanging on the wall. It's on a display on the middle of one of the galleries. And the interesting part is they display the back of the canvas as well. And it's upside-down!
This reinforces to me that these were real people, doing real work with expenses and other concerns. So reusing a canvas from an earlier work might not have been unusual.
At the end there is a thorough timeline.
If at all possible, visit the Cleveland Museum of Art for this exhibition on view Sunday, March 29, through Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Gallery. You may have seen, or will see, individual Manet and Morisot works but nowhere else will you see the juxtapositions that make this so special.
Here's some video snippets of Curator Brown's tour following brief remarks from Todd Mesek, Chief Marketing Officer at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Curator Heather Brown.
Todd Mesek
Heather Brown
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