In the second half of 2026, Port 1560 Gallery will present masterpieces of French landscape painting from 1850–1930 by leading representatives of Impressionism, alongside works by Antonín Chittussi, one of the most significant Czech landscape painters.
The exhibition runs from 15 July to 18 October 2026.
The Light That Changed the History of Painting
Embark on a journey through French landscape painting of the second half of the 19th century and discover the paintings that gave rise to modern art. The exhibition features works by prominent French master Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot,Gustave Courbet, Camille Pissarro, Maurice de Vlaminck, Francis Picabia, and Alfred Sisley—whose use of light, color, and atmosphere inspired an entire generation of painters.
The exhibition also includes a collection of paintings by Antonín Chittussi titled “Quarries near Paris and Other Landscapes.” A pioneer of modern Czech landscape painting, Chittussi found his greatest inspiration in France and mannaged to translate it into the Czech landscape in a unique way.
Come experience the story of light, landscape, and the moment captured by the brush.
French Landscape Painting 1850–1930
Corot – Courbet – Pissarro – Sisley – Vlaminck – Picabia
Over the course of less than a century, French painters radically transformed the way people viewed landscape, light, and painting itself. The exhibition traces the journey from traditional depictions of nature to bold artistic experiments that paved the way for modern art. It illustrates the gradual departure from precise drawing and fixed forms, the increasing freedom of painterly expression, and the growing emphasis on colour and light. Light no longer served merely to model forms; it became both the central subject and a means of capturing fleeting moments, atmosphere, and the ever-changing character of the day. The exhibition also highlights the context that gave rise to Impressionism and, later, even more expressive movements that pushed painting to the threshold of abstraction.
Antonín Chittussi: Quarries near Paris and Other Landscapes
This intimate exhibition project presents a selection of Chittussi’s paintings from 1875–1895, a key period during which he became one of the leading figures of Czech landscape painting. It was during these years that he successfully combined the Czech artistic tradition with the finest achievements of contemporary French painting. Chittussi painted directly in nature, working outdoors amid changing light and weather conditions. He focused on atmosphere, subtle colour transitions, and immediate visual impressions. In doing so, he introduced a fresh and direct way of both depicting and perceiving the landscape in the Czech lands.
