Largely ignored, if not to say totally forgotten, the artistic creations by the French painter Maximilien Luce (1858-1941) are a stunning sight to behold. A recent showcase of his works at the Montmarte Museum invites viewers to rediscover the works of Luce by tracing the artist’s life, thus shedding light on the social and industrial transformations of his era.

As a matter of fact, being one of the pioneers of the neo-Impressionist movement, Luce tirelessly transferred to his creations the life of an era rich in profoundly artistic and ideologically led inspirations. It is impossible to ignore the fact that a large number of Luce’s creations are often centred on the activities and the daily routines of the working class.

A retrospective in Paris remembers one of the forgotten pioneers of neo-Impressionism

The exhibition ‘Maximilien Luce: The Instinct for Landscape’ leads visitors on a retrospective of Luce’s work, as well as a mind-boggling journey through the two essential centres of the painter’s life and work: Paris, of course, but also Rolleboise. The latter is a small town along the River Seine, where two painters whom Luce greatly admired, Nicolas Poussin and Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, had also lived and worked long before him.

What an exciting adventure it is staring at these highly detailed rural and urban landscapes, populated with human characters often restlessly appearing to be in a movement. The effect makes one feel as if one is watching a film rather than looking at a silent, motionless painting.

Another fascinating detail the exhibition reveals is the fact that Luce resided in Rue Cortot, only a few doors apart from the address where the Montmartre Museum was founded and still exists today.

With the current exhibition going on successfully, the organisers at the museum, which Luce had so often depicted in many of his works, say they are proud to be able to pay a much deserved tribute to him, more than a century after his death. The other contributors to the current exhibition are the City Museum of Mantes-la-Jolie and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

‘Maximilien Luce: The Instinct for Landscape’ is on display at the
Montmartre Museum in Paris from March 21-September 14, 2025

The writer is an art critic based in Paris. He can be reached at zafmasud@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 15th, 2025