NMNM - New exhibition at Villa Paloma: “A Feel for Nature: Contemporary Art in Conversation with Poussin”

The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco is set to open its 2026 programme with a major exhibition at Villa Paloma that looks at nature both from a historical perspective, and as a sensory experience. “A Feel for Nature: Contemporary Art in Conversation with Poussin” brings together works by nearly forty contemporary artists alongside classical paintings, including masterpieces by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665).

Curated by Guillaume de Sardes and filling every gallery space at Villa Paloma, the exhibition explores a bold idea: that Poussin was the first painter to elevate nature from a background setting to a subject in its own right. Over the course of his career, he developed what can be described as a true “feel for nature”. His influence shaped generations of artists, from Gaspard Dughet to Claude-Joseph Vernet.

In our modern society gripped by environmental anxieties, artists continue to depict nature with poetry and emotion. This exhibition shows how, by placing historical and contemporary works side by side, including sculptures, installations, photographs, videos, drawings and paintings. 

Visitors will explore six themed sections - storms and nights, forests and gardens, seascapes and waterfalls, deserts and volcanoes, hills and mountains, flowers and butterflies - illustrating how the natural world, in all its diversity, continues to inspire artists today.