Georges de La Tour
From shadow to light

From 11 September 2025 to 25 January 2026, the Musée Jacquemart-André will present a major exhibition devoted to Georges de La Tour (1593–1652), offering a renewed perspective on the rare and radiant work of one of the foremost French painters of the 17th century.

The exhibition seeks to reinterpret La Tour’s career, addressing the mysteries that still surround both his life and his art. Although only a limited number of authentic works have survived, La Tour’s painting has left an enduring imprint on art history. With his refined naturalism, the clarity of his compositions, and their spiritual intensity, he forged a visual language of striking emotional force that continues to resonate today. Visitors will be invited to rediscover one of the most captivating figures of the Grand Siècle in all his richness and complexity.

Gathering around thirty canvases and works on paper, loaned from major public and private collections in France and abroad, the exhibition follows a thematic path to highlight La Tour’s originality. It will explore his key subjects—scenes of everyday life, images of penitent saints, and the dramatic play of artificial light—while situating his art within the broader framework of European Caravaggism, including the French, Lorraine, and Dutch traditions.

La Tour’s distinctiveness lies not in copying Caravaggio directly but in his own interpretation of chiaroscuro. Infused with radical realism and profound spirituality, his works achieve a timeless modernity and an intensity that transcend their era.