The Musée de l'Annonciade in Saint-Tropez is presenting a major retrospective exhibition dedicated to Lucie Cousturier, marking the centenary of the death of this largely overlooked Neo-Impressionist artist. Running from July 11 to November 14, 2025, the exhibition represents the second monographic presentation of Cousturier's work, following the first at the Vernon Museum seven years ago.

While Cousturier has appeared in numerous exhibitions in recent years as a secondary figure in major Neo-Impressionist monographs or surveys of female artists from the turn of the 20th century, she remains largely unknown to the general public. These previous exhibitions include shows ranging from Félix Fénéon at the Quai Branly Museum and Signac as Collector at the Orsay Museum, to Pioneers at the Luxembourg Museum and Traveling Artists exhibitions in Evian and Pont-Aven.

The current exhibition is curated by Adèle de Lanfranchi, an art historian and specialist on the artist who authored the definitive 2008 monograph on Cousturier and is currently working on a catalogue raisonné. She collaborates with Séverine Berger, director of the Saint-Tropez museum, to provide scientific oversight for this comprehensive retrospective.

Lucie Cousturier (1876-1925) was a multifaceted figure in the art world whose talents extended far beyond painting. As a Neo-Impressionist painter, she gained unanimous recognition during her lifetime and became both a student and close friend of Paul Signac and other leading Divisionist artists. Her artistic skills are exemplified in works such as her oil painting "Flowers" (65.5 x 54.5 cm) and her watercolor "Senegalese Rifleman Writing" (63 x 47 cm), both housed in the Musée de l'Annonciade collection.

Beyond her painting career, Cousturier established herself as a respected art critic, authoring definitive biographies of major artists including Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Henri-Edmond Cross, Ker Xavier Roussel, Pierre Bonnard, and Maurice Denis. She was also an avid art collector, notably owning Seurat's masterpiece "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," which was a wedding gift from her father.

The exhibition reveals Cousturier's complex intellectual and political persona through her work as an essayist with strong anarchist and anti-colonial convictions. These beliefs influenced both her artistic practice and her critical writings, positioning her as a progressive voice in the early 20th century art world.

The retrospective features approximately sixty paintings and works on paper, offering visitors a comprehensive view of Cousturier's artistic evolution and diverse interests. The exhibition organizers acknowledge that while the show may not reveal entirely new information about the artist, it continues the important work of rehabilitating her reputation and establishing her rightful place in art history.

This Saint-Tropez exhibition represents a crucial step in bringing long-overdue recognition to an artist who was deeply embedded in the Neo-Impressionist movement yet has remained overshadowed by her more famous male contemporaries. Through careful curation and scholarly presentation, the exhibition aims to cement Cousturier's legacy as both an accomplished artist and an important cultural figure of her era.