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On the evening of 30 April 2025, the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House in London opened its doors for our Soirée Suisse, an annual diplomatic reception honouring the longstanding friendship between Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This year’s edition marked an historic occasion: the first-ever exhibition of the Oskar Reinhart Collection outside of Switzerland.
This collaboration is no coincidence. Oskar Reinhart and Samuel Courtauld, two of the 20th century’s most visionary art collectors, were contemporaries and shared a deep passion for the Impressionist movement. Their collections, shaped by a common love for the transformative power of light and colour, stand as lasting tributes to the artists who redefined modern art.
The current exhibition Goya to Impressionism brings together masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Degas and Van Gogh. It offers a rare opportunity to witness the collectors’ shared vision across the two galleries presented side by side.
The evening brought together over 300 guests from the fields of diplomacy, politics, science, business, media and culture, all contributing to the strong ties between the two nations. Guests enjoyed guided tours, speeches by exhibition curators and the Ambassador of Switzerland to the UK, HE Mr Markus Leitner, and a live performance by Swiss singer-songwriter NNAVY.
As the evening drew to a close, guests departed with a renewed sense of connection and appreciation for the role of art in transcending borders and time. Surrounded by masterpieces that capture the light, colour and emotion of a transformative era, the event served as a reminder that art is not just a reflection of the past, but a living dialogue that continues to frame and shape our exchanges and understanding of the world.
A special thanks to our sponsors for making the event possible – including Presence Switzerland, UBS, Zühlke, Swiss, Zurich Insurance, Galderma, Habib, Swiss Re, Hilti, Schindler, Nespresso as well as Emmi and Switzerland Tourism.
