Back and Forth
Back and Forth brings together four paintings made across roughly six centuries and in different cultural contexts. The exhibition examines how artists respond to earlier works, consciously or otherwise, and how those references are transformed as they move across time. Rather than presenting art history as a straight line, it highlights the ways artists borrow, reinterpret, and rework visual ideas.
The exhibition pairs contemporary artist Rozeal.’s *afro.died, T.* with paintings by Titian and Paul Cézanne. Rozeal.’s 2011 work shares unexpected visual connections with Titian’s *Venus with a Mirror*, while Cézanne’s *Boy in a Red Waistcoat* echoes aspects of Titian’s *Ranuccio Farnese*. Together, the works encourage visitors to reconsider familiar artistic conventions and see how paintings can “speak” to one another across space and time.
When: April 26, 2025–January 3, 2027
Venue: National Gallery of Art, West Building, Main Floor, Gallery M11
Tickets: Free admission; passes are not required.
Featured works: Titian, *Venus with a Mirror* (c. 1555); Rozeal. (formerly known as iona rozeal brown), *afro.died, T.* (2011); Paul Cézanne, *Boy in a Red Waistcoat* (1888–1890); and Titian, *Ranuccio Farnese* (1541–1542).
Artists and materials: Titian’s works and Cézanne’s *Boy in a Red Waistcoat* are oil paintings on canvas. Rozeal.’s *afro.died, T.* uses acrylic, pen, ink, marker, and graphite on a birch plywood panel.
Additional content: An interactive article, “Four Paintings Speak to Each Other Across Space and Time,” explores how Titian, Cézanne, and Rozeal. reinterpret conventions for depicting people.
Curators: Molly Donovan, curator of contemporary art and acting head of modern and contemporary art; Eve Straussman-Pflanzer, curator and head of Italian and Spanish paintings; and Aaron Wile, former associate curator in French paintings, all associated with the National Gallery of Art.
Schedule: The page provides exhibition dates but does not list daily showtimes or a run time.
Accessibility and age guidance: No event-specific age restrictions or accessibility details are provided on the page.