The Cincinnati Art Museum has opened a new exhibition titled "Farm to Table: Food and Identity in the Age of Impressionism," organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Chrysler Museum of Art. Featuring works by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and others, the show explores the role of food in French art and society from the 1870s onward, juxtaposing scenes of peasant labor with depictions of upper-class abundance. Curator Andrew Eschelbacher highlights how food was central to French identity during a period marked by war, famine, and social upheaval, with Impressionist brushstrokes often veiling deeper sociopolitical realities.
The exhibition matters because it connects historical art to contemporary issues, drawing parallels between 19th-century France and present-day America, where debates over wealth inequality, food prices, and national identity are intensifying. By displaying works from the museum's own collection alongside loans, the show offers fresh context for familiar pieces and underscores the enduring relevance of art in examining how societies define themselves through food, labor, and class.