Explore revolutionary Paris through Boilly’s daring and playful paintings

Working in a politically turbulent Paris, Louis-Leopold Boilly witnessed the French Revolution, the rise and fall of Napoleon, and the Restoration of the French Monarchy.

From controversially seductive interior scenes, which saw him get into trouble with the authorities, to ‘first-of-their-kind’ everyday street scenes and clever trompe l’oeils, this exhibition shows Boilly’s daring responses to the changing political environment and art market he encountered, and highlights his sharp powers of observation and wry sense of humour.

Focusing on 20 works from a British private collection never previously displayed or published, this exhibition – the first of its kind in the UK – celebrates an artist who is little known in Britain and provides unparalleled context for our Boilly, A Girl at a Window.