THE BELLE ÉPOQUE is an era that has taken on mythical proportions! The term was coined during the difficult days of 1940 – difficult even for France – when people looked back with nostalgia on the happy, carefree years of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although, as is usually the case, such assessments are exaggerated and overlook the myriad social and economic problems that persisted, the truth is that the Belle Époque was a period of upheaval for Paris, as reflected in the city’s transformation, which gradually took on the image we have today of the French capital. Haussmann’s grand boulevards, electric lighting, the metro, department shops, theatres, café-concerts and cabarets transformed everyday life and gave rise to a new urban culture. It was within this environment that colour lithography was perfected, the poster became ubiquitous in urban spaces, and the printed image took centre stage in everyday life, taking over and ‘colouring’ the streets.

The Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation presents, at its Museum in Athens, the major temporary exhibition BELLE ÉPOQUE, dedicated to one of the most enchanting yet contradictory periods in European history.

The exhibition explores the BELLE ÉPOQUE through one of the most characteristic phenomena of the era: the artistic poster, which would very soon come to dominate the development of both advertising and graphic design.

Around 90 works showcase the creative temperament of 15 leading artists, including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Alfons Mucha, Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Félix Vallotton and Henri-Gabriel Ibels. Alongside these are works by Jules Chéret, René Hermann-Paul, Émile Bernard, Claude-Émile Schuffenecker, George Bottini, Théo van Rysselberghe, Louis Anquetin and Wassily Kandinsky. The exhibition also includes drawings, oil paintings and pastels.

The exhibition’s scenography is not limited to the presentation of the works. It forms a structural element, recreating the atmosphere of Paris during the Belle Époque and inviting visitors to ‘immerse’ themselves in that era and stroll amongst the street posters. The picture of the era is complemented by numerous photographic records of Belle Époque Paris, Through these photographs, the works are set in their authentic urban context: the streets, the boulevards, the crowds and the everyday scenes of a city undergoing a complete transformation. The exhibition also features numerous excerpts from period films, as well as the early films Les colleurs d’affiches (The Poster Stickers) by the Lumière brothers and Défense d’afficher (No Posting) by Georges Méliès.

The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue in three languages (Greek, English and French), featuring detailed entries and documentation of the works.

Curated by:
Maria Koutsomalli-Moreau, Head of Collections, B&E Goulandris Foundation

Marina Ferretti Bocquillon, Honorary Scientific Director of the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny

Sets Designed by:
Paraskevi Gerolymatoy, Andreas Georgiadis

Duration:
31 October 2026 – 15 February 2027