Rêves de Japon: de l'estampe aux mangas, the new exhibition in Rueil-Malmaison, our photos

Calling all lovers of Japanese culture! This spring and summer, the town of Rueil-Malmaison, in the Hauts-de-Seine region of France, invites you to discover an original exhibition highlighting the connections between Japonism, the Impressionists and the world of manga.

Named " Rêves de Japon: de l'estampe aux mangas " (" Dreams of Japan: from prints to manga "), this installation takes place at theAtelier Grognard. Located just 100 metres from the Château de la Malmaison, this former copper, zinc and tin plate factory - now a 650m² cultural space - regularly hosts exhibitions organized by the town.

From March 28 to July 6, 2025, the exhibition features over 300 works- " 320 works " to be precise - " all from private collections ". Visitors can admire 140 original prints, most of them by masters of the genre, including the famous Katsushika Hokusai. We can't fail to be fascinated by"The Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji", his emblematic series of prints produced between 1830 and 1833. Presenting Mount Fuji from different angles and in different seasons, Hokusai impresses with his technical skill. The artist offers unexpected perspectives on the landscape, and uses Prussian blue to create remarkable contrasts with the sky, sea and mountains.

In this series of prints by Hokusai, visitors can admire"The Great Wave of Kanagawa", certainly the best-known work of its author, and indeed of all Japanese art!

The venue also unveils several other magnificent prints, including those by Utagawa Hiroshige, considered the master of landscapes, but also those by female portrait specialist Kitagawa Utamaro, as well as those by Tōshūsai Sharaku, known for his works depicting kabuki actors.

• To be read
• What to do in Paris this week, March 30–April 5, 2026: your guide to events
• L'écologie des choses: a new exhibition at the Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris
• Fusuma: the free exhibition at the Maison de la culture du Japon, our photos

The Atelier Grognard in Rueil-Malmaison also offers us a plunge into Japanese culture, with an exhibition of some 50 objects dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, echoing the prints on display. These include porcelain, samurai armour, engraving tools, a fan, traditional Japanese sandals (Geta), a set for blackening teeth (a traditional practice indicating beauty, maturity and social status)...

Other works exhibited for the occasion? Two pastels by Claude Monet, 10 monotypes byEdgar Degas and 17 works byHenri de Toulouse-Lautrec; impressionists who were already enamored of Japanese art in their day, and who collected a number of Japanese prints. The exhibition reminds us that,"like Impressionism, modern Japanese printmaking is above all an art of 'en plein air' landscapes". Japanese prints also influenced Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, for example, through the importance of foregrounds and strong diagonals.

In addition to this dialogue between Japanese prints and the Impressionists, the installation also invites visitors to observe lesser-known similarities with the worlds of anime and manga, presenting a series of original drawings and celluloid prints from the genre, including those of Naruto and Dragon Ball. Several resin statues of anime characters are also on display. It should be noted, however, that the section devoted to manga is smaller than that devoted to prints.

" Rêves de Japon: de l'estampe aux mangas " (Dreams of Japan: from woodblock prints to manga ) should appeal not only to those curious to learn more about Japanese art, but also to fans of Japanese culture and woodblock prints. To discover this unique exhibition, visit theAtelier Grognard from March 28 to July 6, 2025. Admission to the Atelier Grognard is subject to a fee (7 euros full price, 5 euros concessions).