In the Principality of Monaco, an exhibition where the great painter Poussin dialogues with contemporary art

The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco presents an exhibition titled "Le Sentiment de la Nature," which juxtaposes works by 17th-century French painter Nicolas Poussin and his followers with pieces by about thirty contemporary and 20th-century artists. The show is organized into six thematic sections—storms and nights, forests and gardens, seas and waterfalls, deserts and volcanoes, mountains, and flowers and butterflies—each exploring the ancient concept of "miracula naturae" (wonders of nature). Featured contemporary artists include Nan Goldin, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Demand, Sarah Moon, Mimmo Jodice, Giulio Paolini, Giorgio Andreotta Calò, and Fausto Melotti, with works spanning photography, painting, video, and sculpture. The exhibition runs until May 25, 2026, and is accompanied by a catalog published by Italian publisher Humboldt Books in collaboration with the museum.

This exhibition matters because it reexamines the legacy of Poussin—a foundational figure in landscape painting—through the lens of contemporary ecological concerns, asking whether artists today can engage with nature with the same lyricism as their predecessors. By pairing historical and modern works, the show highlights enduring themes of humanity's relationship with the natural world, making it relevant to current debates on ecology and environmental awareness. It also underscores the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco's role in fostering cross-temporal dialogues between old masters and living artists, offering a model for how museums can address pressing contemporary issues through art historical frameworks.