Through reality's lens, decisively
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SEPT. 20-JAN. 4
CHICAGO
"Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Art and Photography of Paris" : Perhaps no other photographer captured as many memorable images as Cartier-Bresson did. To mark the centenary of the man who made "the decisive moment" one of the medium's defining concepts, the Art Institute of Chicago is drawing on its own collection to mount a show of Cartier-Bresson photographs as well as paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs by artists active in Paris during the 1920s and '30s. The city was the cultural capital of the world, and those were the decades of Cartier-Bresson's artistic formation. This approach to the photographer's work is the first such show of its kind. It has long been known that Cartier-Bresson was heavily influenced by Surrealism, in both its written and visual forms, but here we see the relationship between his work and that of contemporary art generally. Cartier-Bresson, who initially wanted to be a painter, studied as a young man with André Lhote, among the many notable artists with work in the show. Others include Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Chirico, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, and Pablo Picasso. The exhibition also includes photographs from Brassaï, Andre Kertesz, and other photographers working in Paris at that time. 111 South Michigan Ave., 312-443-3600, artic.edu/aic.
THROUGH DEC. 8
VIENNA
"Van Gogh": Drawing on the holdings of more than 60 other institutions and collectors, the Albertina museum is presenting 50 canvases along with 100 watercolors and drawings to give a sense of Vincent van Gogh as both painter and draftsman. This is the largest exhibition of the artist's work in nearly two decades. Albertinaplatz 1, 011-43-1-534-830, albertina.at.
SEPT. 19-JAN. 4
NEW YORK
"Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors": The 43 children's books featuring Babar the elephant king have long been a popular favorite. The Morgan Library, in an exhibition that features some 175 items, looks at how Jean de Brunhoff created the character, in 1931, and his son Laurent continued Babar's story after his father's death. 225 Madison Ave., 212-685-0008, the morgan.org.
SEPT. 26-FEB. 1
LONDON
"Rothko": In the first British retrospective of the work of Mark Rothko in more than two decades, Tate Modern looks at the achievement of the most mystical Abstract Expressionist painter. The exhibition pays particular attention to the several painting series executed by Rothko. Bankside, 011-44-20-7887-8888, tate.org.uk/modern.
OCT. 19-MARCH 22
WASHINGTON, D.C.
"Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples": The National Gallery of Art offers a comprehensive look at art in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius during the first century BC. Among the 150 examples of painting, mosaic, sculpture, and decorative arts on display are some never previously seen in the United States. The exhibition also examines the impact that the first excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum, in the 18th century, had on subsequent art. 4th Street and Constitution Avenue, 202-737-4215, nga.gov.
OCT. 25-JAN. 18
SAN FRANCISCO
"Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes": It's been nearly 30 years since Lin became famous with her design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, in Washington. This exhibition at the de Young Museum of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco brings together recent sculptures, drawings, and installations to highlight Lin's ongoing interest in what she calls "exploring notions of landscape and geologic phenomena." 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive (Golden Gate Park), 415-750-3600, deyoungmuseum.org.
PLAN AHEAD
NOV. 9-FEB. 1
"Hearst the Collector": It's been estimated that during the 1920s and '30s William Randolph Hearst singlehandedly accounted for a quarter of the world's art purchases. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents some 170 examples of the media baron's acquisitions. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., 323-857-6000, lacma.org.
MARK FEENEY
Events are sometimes canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; call or check online to confirm. Mark Feeney can be reached at mfeeney@globe.com.
