Darwin and Impressionism presents a radical interpretation of the impact of Darwin’s theories on some of the greatest artists of the 19th century. The Impressionists had numerous friends in the scientific world, many of them keen Darwinians. Degas’ vision of contemporary Parisian society is considered in the light of his knowledge of Darwinian theory. This adds a new dimension to iconic works, such as his Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen, which was described as ugly and even bestial when first exhibited in 1881. Landscapes and seascapes by Monet show how, in the 1880s, he searched out the primeval qualities of nature in geological formations that had been shaped by erosion and volcanic activity over many centuries. Cézanne’s relationship with his native Provence is reconsidered in the light of his friendship with one of France’s leading Darwinists, the paleontologist Antoine-Fortuné Marion. This group of major paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture provides a spectacular and thought-provoking conclusion to the exhibition.

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