How French Masterpieces From a Wall Street Titan are Rocking Taipei: A Cultural Earthquake!
Taipei is experiencing a cultural sensation!
From Impressionism to Early Modernism: French Masterpieces from the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, has taken the city by storm. Hosted at the renowned National Palace Museum (NPM), this is the Met's very first large-scale presentation in Taiwan, and the public's excitement is off the charts. All 100,000 pre-sale tickets were snatched up almost instantly, proving this is more than just an art show—it's a bona fide cultural event. The city's landmark, Taipei 101, even lit up to celebrate the grand opening, a testament to its national significance.
This historic collaboration marks a powerful convergence of cultural histories, uniting the NPM's ancient Chinese treasures with the legacy of 20th-century American art collecting. It's an incredible moment for Taiwan, solidifying its place as a major hub for international cultural exchange.
The Legacy of a Banking Titan: Robert Lehman's Remarkable Collection
This extraordinary exhibition is a direct result of the life's work of Robert Lehman (1891–1969), a banking titan who headed the powerful firm Lehman Brothers. Robert's journey into art collecting was a family affair; he inherited a passion from his father, Philip Lehman (1861–1947), who started building a collection around 1911. Philip was part of an elite group of early American collectors, alongside giants like J.P. Morgan and Henry Clay Frick.
While the broader Robert Lehman Collection spans seven hundred years of Western European art—including Renaissance paintings, Old Master drawings by luminaries like Dürer and Rembrandt, and renowned decorative arts—this exhibition in Taiwan zeros in on his later-life passion: Modern French Masters. In the 1940s, Robert Lehman's focus shifted to the 19th and 20th centuries, leading him to acquire masterpieces by the legendary artists featured in this show, including Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Gauguin, Degas, and Seurat.
Robert Lehman's commitment to the arts was profound. He served as a trustee for The Metropolitan Museum of Art starting in 1941, eventually becoming its Vice President and later, Chairman of the Board. Upon his death in 1969, he made a monumental bequest of approximately 2,600 works to The Met. He had one unique stipulation: the collection must be displayed intact, in perpetuity, within rooms designed to recreate the intimate ambiance of his private New York residence. Today, visitors can still experience this unique setting in The Met's Robert Lehman Wing.
Curatorial Brilliance: A Century of French Art on Display
The success of bringing this unparalleled collection to Taiwan is a testament to the meticulous curation by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curators hand-selected 81 iconic works by 38 celebrated artists, creating a cohesive narrative that bridges the gap from Impressionism, through Post-Impressionism, to early Modernism. The works span a century of artistic evolution, from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.
The exhibition is cleverly structured into five thematic sections that guide the audience through this period of profound social change:
The Body / Body Posture
Portraits and Personalities / Portraits and Figures
In Nature / Immersed in Nature
From the City to the Country / From the City to the Countryside
By the Water / Riverside Scenery
The show features breathtaking highlights, including Post-Impressionist giants like Cézanne’s Trees and Houses Near the Jas de Bouffan and Gauguin’s Tahitian Women Bathing. Visitors can also marvel at Impressionist masterpieces such as Renoir’s Two Young Girls at the Piano, celebrated for its luminous brushwork.
This collaborative triumph underscores the NPM's elevated status on the global stage, showcasing its commitment to presenting a diverse range of global cultural heritage.
Taiwan's Cultural Spotlight: A Bold New Chapter
This historic exhibition signals a bold new chapter for Taiwan's cultural institutions. The show is being held in the NPM's Northern Branch, specifically in Exhibition Hall II, which officially reopened after an extensive two-year renovation. While the NPM is already world-famous as the repository of Chinese imperial treasures, hosting The Met's French masterpieces demonstrates Taiwan's dedication not only to safeguarding its own peerless legacy but also to embracing international cultural exchange.
The event's national importance was highlighted by the attendance of President Lai Ching-te, who personally expressed his gratitude and connected the exhibition to his vision of rejuvenating the museum and elevating its global prominence. During his remarks, President Lai even referred to Lesley Wei-chung Ma, a key figure in the collaboration, as "Taiwan's daughter," emphasizing the deep personal and national pride surrounding the show.
The overwhelming demand for tickets—with 100,000 sold in advance—is a powerful statement from the Taiwanese public, who are clearly eager to engage with these European masterpieces. This enthusiastic response, supported by government endorsement and curatorial brilliance, solidifies this exhibition as a major statement on Taiwan's cultural vitality and its growing role on the global stage.
