Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are pivotal figures in the Impressionist movement of the late 19th to early 20th centuries. A selection of masterpieces by these two iconic French Impressionists will be showcased in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Cézanne and Renoir Looking at the World — Masterpieces from the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée d’Orsay exhibition. Solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, it marks Hong Kong’s first large-scale exhibition of the work of these two masters and is one of the Club’s celebratory activities for its 140th anniversary. The exhibition will run from 17 January to 7 May at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

The exhibition’s opening ceremony was held today (16 January). Officials in attendance included HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law; Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Michael Lee; Head of International Exhibition Projects of the Musée d'Orsay Stephanie De Brabander; Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee Professor Douglas So; HKSAR Government Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) Manda Chan; and Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of Art Dr Maria Mok.

Sports and Culture is one of the priority areas for the Club’s Charities Trust. Speaking at the ceremony, Club Chairman Michael Lee noted that the Club has partnered the Government to bring world-class exhibitions to Hong Kong for over 20 years and has collaborated with the LCSD to present masterpieces under the HKJC Series since 2012. The Club is dedicated to supporting arts and cultural projects with the aim of contributing to Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, in line with the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

The exhibition will showcase 52 masterpieces from the renowned Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée d’Orsay, including 49 paintings by Cézanne and Renoir, two paintings by Pablo Picasso and a portrait of the art collector Paul Guillaume, who collected many of the pieces in the exhibition. The collection gives visitors insights into how these two masters reinvented the art of their time and became influential figures for the new generations of painters, including the Spanish master Picasso.

There will be an education corner, where visitors can step onto a French train platform built for the exhibition and embark on a journey into the artistic careers of Cézanne and Renoir. The exhibition in Hong Kong also features exclusive content such as simulated conversations between the two masters, allowing visitors to enter their inner worlds and offering new insights into their lives and friendship.

Complementing the exhibition, two local artists will present their own creative artwork inspired by the works of the two French masters, providing a uniquely Hong Kong perspective and leading viewers on an artistic journey across different eras and cultures. The Club supports a variety of educational programmes for the public including lectures and guided tours to enrich understanding and holistic appreciation of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. For further details, please visit https://hk.art.museum/en/web/ma/exhibitions-and-events/cezanne-and-renoir-looking-at-the-world.html.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series is the result of a partnership between the Club and the LCSD. Launched in 2012, this series has brought world-class exhibitions to Hong Kong, enabling visitors to appreciate masterpieces from different places, times and cultures. The exhibitions are complemented by various education and outreach activities. Recent exhibitions include The Ancient Civilisation of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties in Henan Province and Fragrance of Time — In Search of Chinese Art of Scent.

The Club has come a long way since its founding as a racing and members club. Over the past 140 years, its partnership with the community has thrived thanks to a unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong. The Club – under the banner “With You. Then. Now. Always.” – has organised a series of celebratory initiatives to mark this milestone and recognise Hong Kong people’s contribution to its mission to act continuously for the betterment of society. For more information, please visit https://campaign.hkjc.com/140/en/.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of society. The Club has a unique integrated business model comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2023/24, the Club returned a total of HK$40.1 billion to the community. This included HK$29.9 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$10.2 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.