Review The darkness and light of LA Belle Époque at the Norton Simon Museum October 4, 2019-March 2, 2020 by Leticia Marie Sanchez La Belle Époque, which means the “beautiful age,” evokes thoughts of frothy, light-hearted spectacle: can can dancers, entertainment posters, cabarets, bistros, and electrifying nights at the theater during France’s Gilded Age. However, the Norton Simon Museum’s exhibit By Day & by Night: Paris in the Belle Époque reveals the deeper psychological dimensions beneath the glittering surface: the dichotomy between dynamic crowds and a sense of isolation, between affluent patrons and an often despairing working class, and between a frenzied pace and moments of pause. This vast exhibit includes works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Édouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso. The exhibit was expertly curated by Norton Simon Acting Chief Curator Emily Talbot whose curation revealed
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