WHAT?  After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art 

WHERE?  National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

WHEN? Now until 13th August

WHY GO?  To feel the seductive force of art. If you only get to one exhibition this year, make sure it’s this one! This blockbuster includes every artist you have ever heard of and many you will want to know more about.

Irrespective of bewildering art labels, it traces the history of how ‘modern’ art evolved after Impressionism and acquired various tags like Expressionism, Cubism and so on; it is simply a magnificent show of famous paintings to savour all in one go.

It opens with Cezanne’s famous blue Bathers (recently shown at Tate Modern) and glides towards Degas’s sublime Dancers, Van Gogh’s wheat fields, on to Pierre Bonnard, Matisse and Kandinsky to name but a few, with plenty of drama from the dizziness of Pointillism to the very modern face of abstract artists like Sonia Delaunay.

There are over 90 artworks altogether, many from private collections, oh to be so lucky to own even one!

IN THE KNOW  Primarily focused on paintings, there are a few pivotal sculptures on show, namely the two famous Rodin works, Monument to Balzac and The Walking Man, well worth a visit to see those alone! There’s an online Zoom curator’s introduction for free on 12th April to help set the scene.