The collection of 19th century paintings amassed by the Swiss collector Oskar Reinhart could be seen as a "mirror image" of that acquired by Britain's Samuel Courtauld, said Mark Hudson in The Independent. "Both were created in the early 20th century by wealthy businessmen with a philanthropic bent and an obsession with impressionism." Both men acquired works by many of the same artists and ensured that, after their deaths, their collections would be kept intact and displayed together in dedicated galleries.
The building in which Reinhart's pictures are normally on show in Winterthur, Switzerland, is currently closed for renovations, so some of its "key masterpieces" have been transported to the UK for a modestly sized but rather fine exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery. The result is a show to make you "fall in love" with the impressionists and their precursors all over again. Featuring two dozen canvases by the likes of Monet, Manet, Gauguin, Cézanne, van Gogh and Picasso, it provides some "vivid and often surprising glimpses" into a pivotal moment in modern art history.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Other early 19th century paintings are also wonderful: Gustave Courbet depicts "a massive wave" building into "explosive white foam near the shore", while Théodore Géricault's "A Man Suffering from Delusions of Military Rank" (c.1819-22) is a harrowing portrait of "a suffering soul" incarcerated in a mental hospital. Later on, however, the fun stops: the "row of soppy, second-rate Renoirs live down to every stereotype of this big impressionist softy". Courtauld and Reinhart were fans of the same artists, and their collections are too similar to make this exhibition "exciting". Reinhart's pictures, moreover, aren't nearly as good as Courtauld's.
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Crossword: October 5, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Mustardy beans and hazelnuts recipeThe Week Recommends Nod to French classic offers zingy, fresh taste
-
Susie Dent picks her favourite booksThe Week Recommends The lexicographer and etymologist shares works by Jane Goodall, Noel Streatfeild and Madeleine Pelling
-
6 incredible homes under $1 millionFeature Featuring a home in the National Historic Landmark District of Virginia and a renovated mid-century modern house in Washington
-
The Harder They Come: ‘triumphant’ adaptation of cinema classicThe Week Recommends ‘Uniformly excellent’ cast follow an aspiring musician facing the ‘corruption’ of Kingston, Jamaica
-
House of Guinness: ‘rip-roaring’ Dublin brewing dynasty period dramaThe Week Recommends The Irish series mixes the family tangles of ‘Downton’ and ‘Succession’ for a ‘dark’ and ‘quaffable’ watch
-
Dead of Winter: a ‘kick-ass’ hostage thrillerThe Week Recommends Emma Thompson plays against type in suspenseful Minnesota-set hair-raiser ‘ringing with gunshots’
-
A Booker shortlist for grown-ups?Talking Point Dominated by middle-aged authors, this year’s list is a return to ‘good old-fashioned literary fiction’
-
Fractured France: an ‘informative and funny’ enquiryThe Week Recommends Andrew Hussey's work is a blend of ‘memoir, travelogue and personal confession’
