Blockbuster art and timeless textiles headline winter at the NGV

A new wave of international art and cultural prestige has arrived at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), as this year’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition brings more than 100 works by the world’s most celebrated Impressionist painters to local audiences.

Running from June 6 to October 5, French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is being presented exclusively in Melbourne, offering art lovers the rare chance to view masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Cassatt and Morisot – many of which have never been seen in Australia.

The exhibition traces the development of the radical 19^th century movement that upended traditional academic painting and celebrated the fleeting beauty of everyday life. Featuring immersive gallery design and intimate curatorial storytelling, the show includes key moments and places in the Impressionist narrative, from the streets of Paris to the gardens of Giverny. One highlight will be a dedicated gallery featuring 16 Monet paintings, painted over a 30-year period, showcasing his profound influence on the movement.

NGV director Tony Ellwood said the exhibition was a long-awaited second chance for Australian audiences, after the original 2021 Melbourne showing was cut short by COVID-19 lockdowns.

“More than 150 years after the first exhibition of French Impressionist paintings in Paris, the movement remains a beloved and powerful drawcard. This exhibition brings the freedom of brushwork and vivid colour to life in a spectacular and moving way,” he said.

The exhibition also marks the 150^th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874 and will include rare works by artists such as Victorine Meurent, a painter in her own right and best known as a model for Manet, and Jean-François Raffaëlli, who captured scenes of Paris’s working-class outskirts. Additional Australian connections include three Impressionist works from the NGV Collection, giving visitors the opportunity to see them within the broader international context.

While Impressionism takes centre stage, another standout exhibition has quietly taken over the upper galleries: Kimono, a stunning celebration of the artistry, history and cultural power of Japan’s most iconic garment.

Open since June 4, the NGV-curated exhibition features more than 70 exquisite kimono, including 30 newly acquired pieces, as well as a wide-ranging collection of woodblock prints, paintings and fashion artefacts. From Edo-period wedding robes to 21^st century streetwear, Kimono showcases both tradition and reinvention.

Visitors can admire delicate silk kimono adorned with hand-painted wisteria, cranes, and maple leaves, and encounter standout designs by leading contemporary Japanese designers such as Jotaro Saito and Hiroko Takahashi, whose work blends centuries-old textile techniques with modern aesthetics.

The exhibition also highlights the global influence of kimono design, with works by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano, alongside examples of early 20^th century Western fashion influenced by Japanese silhouettes. Sydney-based designer Akira Isogawa is also featured for his distinctly Australian take on the tradition.

The NGV’s expansive winter program reaffirms Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s cultural capital. Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks praised the exhibitions for “drawing global masterpieces and art lovers from around the world to experience everything our city has to offer.”

With French Impressionism and Kimono offering radically different yet equally compelling windows into the past and present, visitors can expect a rich, sensory experience this winter – no passport required.

For more information: ngv.melbourne •