Exhibition Money in Art at the Monnaie de Paris : our pictures

When money and art meet... The result is L'Argent dans l'Art, a new exhibition at the Monnaie de Paris that runs from March 30 to September 24, 2023. A retrospective presented in the historic salons and contemporary galleries of the Quai Conti museum, plunging art lovers into the heart of the history of the representation of money in art and the complex relationship that artists have with money.

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In total, 20 centuries of art history are thus covered, from ancient Egypt to contemporary art, on the theme of the complex relationship between art and money, from antiquity to the present day. A system of payment that"feeds the imagination of artists, and in particular the gold metal, so present in myths and ancient art," like the myth of Danae or that of the golden calf in the Bible. Religious paintings, impressionism, modern paintings, XXth century... So many works witness the evolution of economic modes and the relationship we have with money.

A representation of money that even takes a more "political" turn - or at least engaging a reflection on its societal use and its mechanisms - in the twentieth century. "This exhibition is a perfect illustration of the cultural program of the Monnaie de Paris. Money and currency are not just instruments of economic exchange. They carry meaning and are part of the social space," explains Marc Schwartz, President and CEO of La Monnaie de Paris. He continues:"This is what we want to show in the salons of the Monnaie: the way in which artists deal with the theme of money and its representation in society.

In total, 200 pieces of various types, periods and backgrounds are presented to visitors, on loan from the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou and numerous regional museums, galleries and private collections. Note also that a selection of films is also proposed within the exhibition, but also broadcasted during a cycle of outdoor screenings, in the courtyards of the Monnaie de Paris. A good idea for an outing to understand everything about the history of money in art... Shall we go for a walk?