The Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany, will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2027 with a comprehensive exhibition exploring the networks that shaped Impressionism. Titled "Artists, Dealers, Collectors," the exhibition will run from November 7, 2026, to February 21, 2027, offering visitors an unprecedented look at how a small group of radical painters became one of the most beloved art movements in modern history.
The museum, which opened on January 20, 2017, was financed by software billionaire and art collector Hasso Plattner. Since its inception, the institution has featured rotating exhibitions that highlight Plattner's collection focus on Impressionist art, making this anniversary show a natural extension of the museum's core mission.
The upcoming exhibition will showcase paintings from the Hasso Plattner Collection in dialogue with masterworks from some of the world's most prestigious museums. Participating institutions include the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, and the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo.
Rather than focusing solely on the artists themselves, the exhibition will examine the broader support network that enabled Impressionism to flourish. This includes influential literary figures such as Émile Zola and Octave Mirbeau, department store owner Ernest Hoschedé, and opera singer Jean-Baptiste Faure, all of whom played crucial roles as patrons, collectors, and advocates for the movement.
The museum has an ambitious exhibition schedule leading up to the anniversary show. Currently running until February 1, 2026, is the special exhibition "Unicorn: The Mythical Creature in Art." This will be followed by "Avant-garde: Max Liebermann and Impressionism in Germany" from February 28 to June 7, 2026. From July 4 to October 11, 2026, the museum will present "Paul Signac: Symphony of Colors" before the major anniversary exhibition opens in November.
