Europe's Top 13 Art Exhibitions This Fall

24 September – 24 JanuaryShedding new light on the work of the early Italian Renaissance painter is the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin exhibition, The Botticelli Renaissance. Quickly forgotten after his death, it wasn’t until the nineteenth century when his work was revitalised by the Pre-Raphaelites. Since then, Sandro Botticelli’s compositions and motifs have continued to influence modern and contemporary artists. This exhibition juxtaposes 50 of Botticelli’s works with nearly 100 works of art, from other paintings, to photographs, to video and fashion. New interpretations of Botticelli’s work and connections between the past and present are brought to the fore in this exhibition.

30 July – 18 OctoberBringing the revolutionary art of El Lizzitsky to Ireland for the first time is the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition focuses on the artist’s relationships with the state and politics, as well as the broader implications his art had on other radical artists and creative communities. Much of the work on display comes from the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven. The show also draws parallels between Lizzitsky’s work and that of Irish nationalists Alice Milligan and Maud Gonne, who all envisaged their works as catalysts for social and political change. Furthermore, works on display by contemporary artists Rossella Biscotti, Núria Güell, Sarah Pierce and Hito Steyerl revive Lizzitsky’s values for today’s audiences.

7 October – 10 JanuaryHailed as one of the most ground-breaking and skillful portrait artists in art history, the National Gallery in London presents Goya: The Portraits. Masterful in their execution, Goya’s portraits not only displayed technical virtuosity, but also managed to capture the true essence of the sitter. His portraits feature a wide variety of patrons and friends, from aristocrats to members of the court to famous actors. This exhibition traces the artist’s development in portraiture, from his first commission to his later personal works. Nearly 70 of the artist’s works are on display, including paintings, drawings and miniatures, many of which have never been exhibited in London before.

6 October – 17 JanuaryThe first exhibition of the artist’s work in Spain since 1984, Edvard Munch: Archetypes opens in October at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Exhibiting 80 works by the Norwegian artist, this show analyses a key aspect to Munch’s oeuvre: the human figure. His depiction of the human figure is foregrounded in this exhibition, but also his use of flat and three-dimensional forms, his expressive and symbolic use of colour, and his fantastical settings. This show promises to give viewers a new perspective on Munch and why his work was an important development in Scandinavian and European art history.

5 September – 6 DecemberKnown for her black and white photographs, the American photographer Francesca Woodman produced an impressive and poignant body of work during her short lifetime. Entitled Francesca Woodman: On Being an Angel, this exhibition at the Moderna Museet explores Woodman’s oeurve in a new way, delving into each of her artistic periods, from her early teenage works, to her student years in Providence, Italy, to her later photographs while in New York. This show will present over 100 photographs by the artist alongside other photographs from the museum’s own collection, in order to contextualise Woodman’s works. Gender, sexuality and the body are key themes that are explored in this exhibition.

30 September – 15 FebruaryThe life and works of Cuban painter Wifredo Lam will be investigated though and in-depth retrospective at Le Centre Pompidou in Paris this autumn. The exhibition will focus mainly on the artist’s works from the 1930s through to the 1970s, and will aim to reposition the artist within the discourse of international art history. His contributions and innovations in both America and Europe are key aspects of this exhibition. This large scale show will feature more than 400 works of art, from paintings to drawings to photographs, with many works on loan from other cultural institutions, such as MoMA in New York. Visitors will be guided through the exhibition by following periods of his work, focusing on his artistic developments, and meetings with influential people. After Le Centre Pompidou, the show will travel to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and then to the Tate Modern.

3 September – 29 NovemberThe intimate and unique works of British artist Lucian Freud are presented in this retrospective exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. With the title Lucian Freud – A Closer Look, this show offers a rare chance to experience the artist’s intriguing works on paper. Part of the museum’s Louisiana on Paper series, the exhibition displays 52 graphical artworks, focusing on his works post-1982. Although more famous for his jarring paintings of people, these more intimate drawings reveal Freud’s obsession with the body and his intense study of the human form. A must visit for any lover of his work.

13th March − 10th JanuaryAlthough this exhibition opened earlier in the year, the special Roy Lichtenstein show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is well worth a visit. Spanning three rooms, this exhibition dedicated to the American artist brings together new groups of his work. The works on display reveal how the artist was one of the most influential and radical artists of the previous century, particularly for his techniques and use of materials. Lovers of the museum are already familiar with Lichtenstein’s work, as his work In the Car (1963) has been part of the gallery’s collection since 1980. However, this exhibition looks at the artist’s works from four major series: Reflections, Modern Art, Water Lilies and Compositions. In doing so, the exhibition aims to give a fresh look at the artist’s innovative methods and style, which are arguably ahead of their time.

21 October – 14 FebruaryA prolific duo in the design world, American couple Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important designers of our generation. This dedicated show examines their ground-breaking world, in particular their famous office. Pioneers of innovative future and cutting-edge architecture, Charles and Ray Eames embraced technology and science, as revealed in many of the works on display in this exhibition. At the heart of their creations were philosophical ideals, with this thread running throughout the show also. Focusing on objects and projects, the Barbican showcases the very best of their productions, from films, to photographs, to furniture and other artefacts. In doing so, The World of Charles and Ray Eames and the office are brought back to life to be enjoyed by audiences once more.