Proust y las Artes / Proust and the Arts

Proust and the Arts is the official catalog of the exhibition held at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid from March 4 to June 8, 2025. Spanning more than 330 pages, the volume explores how the visual and performing arts shaped Marcel Proust’s imagination and the writing of his monumental novel In Search of Lost Time.

The book presents paintings, drawings, manuscripts, fashion, and decorative objects from the late 15th and early 20th centuries, revealing Proust’s dialogue with Impressionism, Symbolism, and Old Masters such as El Greco, Vermeer, Van Dyck, Watteau, Turner, Monet, Manet, Renoir, and Whistler. It also considers the impact of architecture, Parisian urban life, and music on his creative vision.

Essays by leading scholars and Proust specialists offer new insights into the author’s cultural universe, situating him in the vibrant artistic networks of his time. Richly illustrated with high-quality reproductions, the catalog is both a scholarly reference and a beautifully designed art book that brings readers closer to the world that inspired one of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century.