25 MAY 2026
NEW VISIONS

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During Napoleon III’s reign (1852–1870), Paris underwent an extraordinary transformation under Baron Haussmann’s direction. Several medieval neighbourhoods were cleared making way for wide boulevards, elegant apartment blocks, parks, and monumental public buildings that reshaped the city’s landscape and social fabric. This dynamic environment inspired the Impressionists, who were keen to capture the fleeting sensations of the modern capital. Discover how the radical techniques of artists like Manet, Renoir, and 
Caillebotte, along with a special focus on the women artists Morisot, Valadon and Cassatt, reflect the attractions and complexities of modern Parisian society. 

About Joanne Rhymer

Since completing an MA at University College London (UCL) in the History of Art: Modernism and the Politics of Representation (1997), Jo was employed in various roles at the National Gallery, including Adult Learning Officer and the Head of Adult Learning Programmes. In a freelance capacity, she has worked for prestigious learning departments in London galleries and institutions including the Tate, the Hayward Gallery, Sotheby's Institute of Art and the National Portrait Gallery, as well as leading group excursions in the UK and abroad. She is currently a Panel Tutor for the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge and teaches for the Wallace Collection and the V&A as well as a range of private institutions.  Her areas of specialism include 19th-century and early 20th-century French art, and interests include the visual skills involved in sustained viewing of paintings.