An exhibition of strong symbolic value, which sees the prestigious Museum of Modern Art André Malraux (MuMa) in Le Havre lending for the first time in history a part of its collection, the most important for Impressionist paintings in France outside of Paris.

The occasion arises within the celebrations for the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which razed the city of Le Havre to the ground in September 1944, then virtuously rebuilt around its museum, the MuMa, becoming a symbol of modernity and rebirth.

The exhibition, curated by Marianne Mathieu, one of the world's leading experts in Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and by Geraldine Lefebvre, Director of the MuMa, presents more than 50 pictorial masterpieces, dating from the 19th to the early 20th century, miraculously survived the bombings, signed by prominent artists including Renoir, Monet, Sisley, Gauguin, Dufy, Marquet, Boudin, and Braque.

Through these works, the exhibition aims to represent an ideal passing of the torch between two cities, Le Havre and Mestre, united by the experience of Total War, to reaffirm the importance of cultural heritage in keeping alive the collective memory and the value of art as a vehicle for resilience and rebirth.

To strengthen the dialogue between the two cities, furthermore, a section of the exhibition will be dedicated to a photographic and documentary deepening that will testify to what happened in Mestre starting from the terrible bombing of March 28, 1944, and will present the recovery process initiated in the post-war period for the residential heritage as well as the industrial area.