How did the dazzling light and vibrant energy of the Côte d’Azur ignite a new and audacious visual language?

From the sparkling sea to sun-bathed hillsides, the French Riviera’s irresistible allure has long served as a catalyst for creativity. Delving into the Royal Academy’s dazzling exhibition, Painting the French Riviera, we will explore how outstanding 19th and 20th-century paintings by artists including Monet, Renoir, Picasso and Matisse were each inspired by the French Riviera’s luminous beauty. Our explorations will reveal how they transformed the French Riviera’s breathtaking scenery into unique, bold and groundbreaking works which radically altered the course of modern art.

Painting the French Riviera at the Royal Academy (2 October 2026 – 31 January 2027)

About the Speaker

Jo Rhymer has taught and programmed for numerous prestigious museum and gallery learning departments and was formerly Head of Adult Learning Programmes at the National Gallery. She is a freelance lecturer and educator and teaches regularly for a range of institutions in the UK and abroad including the V&A Museum and the Wallace Collection; she is a Panel Tutor for The University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education and is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society. Her art history specialisms are 19th- and early 20th-century French art, and she is interested in the skills associated with looking slowly at paintings. 

Luxe, Calme et Volupté, Henri Matisse, 1904, oil on canvas