These are the 12 must-see European art exhibitions to check out this spring

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From the Musée d’Orsay celebrating 150 years since the birth of Impressionism, to Scotland’s Perth Museum uncovering the origins of the unicorn, there is a delightful smorgasbord of art exhibitions waiting to be explored over the next couple of months.

If you’re a little lost on where to start, here’s our handpicked selection of the crème de la crème: 

‘Angelica Kauffman’ at Royal Academy of Arts (London, UK)

Described by one of her contemporaries as “the most cultivated woman in Europe”, 18th-century Swiss artist Angelica Kauffman is the focus of a major exhibition at the Royal Academy in London. The show traces her journey from a gifted child to a renowned painter sought after across Europe for her neoclassical portraits of women and mythological scenes. The exhibition also highlights her pivotal role in founding the Royal Academy, and her later career in Rome. Visitors can explore her paintings, preparatory drawings, including noteworthy self-portraits, and admire her ceiling masterpieces created specially for the Royal Academy. Don’t mind if I do!

‘Angelica Kauffman‘ at Royal Academy of Arts opened on 1 March 2024and runs until 30 June 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – A brilliant collection of groundbreaking, deeply romantic works from one of the few successful female artists of the 18th-century. 

‘Britta Marakatt-Labba – Moving the Needle’ at The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Oslo, Norway)

Explore five decades of Swedish Sámi textile artist Britta Marakatt-Labba’s artistry at Oslo’s National Museum. “Moving the Needle,” her largest exhibition yet, invites visitors on a journey through her work, from her never-before-seen early sketches to iconic pieces like ‘Garjját / The Crows’ and ‘Girddi noaiddit / Flying Shamans.’ At the heart of the exhibition lies the breathtaking masterpiece ‘Historjá,’ a monumental 24-metre-long embroidery that intricately weaves together scenes from Sami history, mythology, and daily existence.

‘Britta Marakatt-Labba – Moving the Needle‘ at The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design opens on 15 March 2024 and runs until 25 August 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – More than five-decade’s of stunning Sámi textile artistry, including the monumental 24-metre-long ‘Historjá’ masterpiece. 

‘Leila Babirye: Obumu’ at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (West Yorkshire, UK)

“Obumu (Unity)” is the first museum solo exhibition by Ugandan artist Leilah Babirye, taking place at Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s (YSP) 18th Century Chapel. Babirye’s artistic journey began as a form of activism, stemming from her identity as a gay woman in Uganda, a country where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death. Following a residency at YSP in the summer of 2023, she created a series of striking wood and ceramic sculptures reflecting her culture, heritage, and experiences of living in exile. This exhibition showcases seven larger-than-life wooden sculptures carved from a 200-year-old fallen beech tree sourced from the Park, alongside five expansive ceramic portrait-sculptures. 

‘Leila Babirye: Obumu‘ at Yorkshire Sculpture Park opened on 23 March 2024 and runs until 8 September 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – Truly unique, Queer Ugandan artworks made from nature. 

‘Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment’ at Musée d’Orsay (Paris, France)

In 1874, a gang of art rebels – made up of 31 artists including Monet, Cézanne, Renoir and Degas – decided to break away from traditional rules with the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris. Now 150 years on, the prestigious Musée d’Orsay is presenting a stunningly rare reunion exhibition of 130 works that featured in that now-legendary exhibition. Against a backdrop of post-war turmoil, these artists, relatively unknown at the time, formed a “clan of rebels,” capturing modern life and landscapes with light but visible brush strokes and pale hues. ‘Paris 1874’ juxtaposes their radical works with those of the official Salon of the same period, revealing the visual impact and unexpected parallels between the two. This is certainly not one to miss! 

‘Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment‘ at Musée d’Orsay opened on 26 March 2024and runs until 14 July 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – A stacked lineup of some of Impressionism’s finest paintings, all on the 150 year anniversary of the beloved art movement. 

‘Pino Pascali’ at Fondazione Prada (Milan, Italy)

Pino Pascali died in 1968 at just 32-years-old in Rome, Italy, following a tragic motorcycle accident. But despite passing so young, his sculptures, sets and performances left an important contribution to post-war art. Now, over 50 pieces by the Italian-born artist are going on display at the Fondazione Prada museum in Milan. Pascali’s artistic practice, epitomised by his “fake sculptures” and “Armi series,” reflects a playful yet profound exploration of illusion and reality, often drawing from his childhood experiences of war-related play. “Pascali explored the relationship between sculpture and stage elements and contrasted sculpture and everyday objects. He has created works that from a distance appear to be ready-mades, but which upon closer inspection reveal themselves to be made with recycled materials,” explains the exhibition’s curator, Mark Godfrey. 

‘Pino Pascali’ at Fondazione Prada opens on 28 March 2024 and runs until 23 September 2024.

Why it’s worth checking out – A huge display of some of Pascali’s most iconic works, including a fairytale-like, giant spider covered in fake blue fur. 

‘Unicorn’ at the Perth Museum (Perth, Scotland)

This fascinating exhibition at the Perth Museum presents an alluring journey into Scotland’s national symbol, the Unicorn, by showcasing a stunning collection of rare artefacts and artworks from around the world. Among the star loans are remarkable pieces such as the enchanting ‘Danny Jewel’, an Elizabethan pendant made of narwhal horn and enamelled gold, usually housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Visitors can also marvel at a 700-year-old, 2.5 metre-long narwhal tusk from the esteemed Wellcome Collection as well as the ‘Lady and the Unicorn’ oil painting by late-Renaissance Italian artist Luca Longhi (1507-1580), making its debut display in the UK. 

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‘Unicorn‘ at the Perth Museum opens on 30 March 2024 and runs until 22 September 2024.

Why it’s worth checking out – Two millennia of history, exploring the mythical creature’s cultural significance and its evolution into a symbol of diversity and resilience. 

‘Jean Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge’ at Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice, Italy)

After the success of the ‘Marcel Duchamp and the Lure of the Copy’ exhibition, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is now presenting the largest retrospective of the avant-garde icon Jean Cocteau ever organised in Italy. Cocteau, a prominent figure in the twentieth-century art world, who brushed shoulders with the likes of Pablo Picasso, Coco Chanel, Apollinaire and Édith Piaf, excelled as a writer, poet, playwright, essayist, illustrator, filmmaker, and actor. Featuring a remarkable array of over 150 works spanning drawings, graphics, jewellery, tapestries, books, magazines, photographs and films, ‘The Juggler’s Revenge’ explores the evolution of Cocteau’s unique and deeply personal style amidst the pivotal moments of his tumultuous career. 

‘Jean Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge‘ at Peggy Guggenheim Collection opens on 13 April 2024 and runs until 16 September 2024.

Why it’s worth checking out – Learn more about one of the most fascinating and influential figures of early 20th century art. 

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‘The Last Caravaggio’ at the National Gallery (London, UK)

In May 1610, Caravaggio finished painting ‘The Martyrdom of St. Ursula’. Just two months later, he was dead. A new exhibition from London’s National Gallery is focusing on the final years of the leading Italian Baroque painter’s life, whose large-scale paintings are renowned for their intense and unsettling realism. Highlighted is his last-known painting of St. Ursula, accompanied by a letter detailing its creation. ‘Salome with the Head of John the Baptist,’ is also on display, offering viewers a glimpse into Caravaggio’s tumultuous life, which was marked by consistent violence and legal trouble. 

‘The Last Caravaggio‘ at London’s National Gallery opens on 18 April 2024 and runs until 21 July 2024.

Why it’s worth checking out – Explore the troubled end of Caravaggio’s life, the stories of Ursula and Salome, and reflect on the violence of today.

‘Caspar David Friedrich: Infinite Landscapes’ at the Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin, Germany)

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich’s birth, the Alte Nationalgalerie is hosting a major exhibition featuring 60 of his paintings, as well as 50 drawings from both Germany and abroad. Friedrich is considered the most important landscape painter of the 19th century German Romantic movement. Featuring many of his most famous works including ‘Monk by the Sea’ and ‘Abbey in the Oakwood’, the exhibition focuses on the Nationalgalerie’s role in reviving Friedrich’s art in the early 20th century. After the painter had faded into obscurity in the late 19th century, the Nationalgalerie honoured him with a comprehensive retrospective in 1906. Showcasing 93 of his works, the museum helped to revive his legacy as an all-time great.

‘Caspar David Friedrich: Infinite Landscapes‘ at the Alte Nationalgalerie opens on 19 April 2024 and runs until 4 August 2024. 

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Why it’s worth checking out – Immerse yourself in over 100 gorgeous works by Friedrich, 250 years since his birth.

‘Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy’ at the Musée du Louvre (Paris, France)

As the city of Paris gears up to host the Olympic Games, a fascinating exhibition titled ‘Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy’ is set to unfold at the prestigious Louvre museum. Delving into the origins of the first modern Olympic Games, the exhibition aims to highlight the political backdrop that gave rise to these Games and explore the visionary efforts of organisers to reimagine the ancient Greek sporting competitions. Beyond the well-known figure of Pierre de Coubertin, the ‘father’ of the modern Games, the show explores key individuals of Franco-Greek origin, including Emile Gilliéron, a Swiss artist and archaeological draughtsman residing in Greece, who was appointed the official artist for the 1896 and 1906 Olympic Games. A highlight of the exhibition is the first Olympic Cup, created for the marathon winner at the 1896 Games in Athens. Mark your calendars!

‘Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy‘ at the Musée du Louvre opens on 24 April 2024and runs until 16 September 2024.

Why it’s worth checking out – Explore the history of the ancient Olympics and France’s influence on the modern games. 

‘Ana Lupas: On This Side of the River Elbe’ at Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

This exhibition opening on 9 May 2024 at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam marks the first comprehensive overview of Ana Lupas’ work. The Romanian installation and textile artist rose to prominence in the 1960s as a leading Eastern European female artist. ‘On This Side of the River Elbe’ spans her career from the 1960s to the present, showcasing many highlights of her artistic output, from her textiles to her sculptures. A centrepiece of the show is ‘Coats to Borrow’ (1989), featuring handmade coats suspended on orange-painted metal furniture. The coats traversed various cities in Romania, passed from friend to friend, with each individual invited to inscribe their name on a label discreetly placed inside the coat. The artwork bearing names, concealed from external view, symbolises the social connections within a community unable to openly resist due to the constraints of the oppressive communist regime. Other notable works on display at the exhibition include ‘Humid Installation’ (1970), which depicts her homeland’s farming culture, along with ‘The Solemn Process’ (1964-1976, 1980-1985, and 1985-2008), which engaged local communities in rural Transylvania. 

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‘Ana Lupas: On This Side of the River Elbe‘ at Stedelijk Museum opens on 9 May 2024 and runs until 15 September 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – The first ever major exhibition of Lupas’ deeply political and personal work. 

‘Silvia Bächli: Partitura’ at Centro Botín (Santander, Spain)

If minimal and conceptual artworks are your cup of tea, then you must check out Swiss artist Silvia Bächli’s first exhibition in Spain at Centro Botín, which features her latest works alongside earlier drawings. Bächli’s abstract and minimal drawings are deeply intertwined with her body’s movements, reflecting sensory experiences and bodily gestures. “Drawings are actions. Lines tell stories. What do these lines do? Where is the beginning of a line, does it touch another line? How does it touch them? Words appear, which ones come to the tongue?”, says the artist. Created with simple materials like paper and ink, her works are arranged in rhythmic clusters throughout the gallery space, inviting viewers to contemplate the connections between lines, gestures, and emotions. 

‘Silvia Bächli: Partitura‘ at Centro Botín opens on 11 May 2024 and runs until 20 October 2024. 

Why it’s worth checking out – Experience the captivating intersection of minimalism and sensory exploration in Bächli’s debut exhibition.

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