Previous exhibitions on the theme of nudity have mostly been limited to female nudes. With the presentation "naked men" in the autumn of 2012 the Leopold Museum will be showing a long overdue exhibition on the diverse and changing depictions of naked men from 1800 to the present.

Thanks to loans from all over Europe, the exhibition "naked men" will offer an unprecedented overview of the depiction of male nudes. Starting with the period of Enlightenment in the 18th century, the presentation will focus mainly on the time around 1800, on tendencies of Salon Art, as well as on art around 1900 and after 1945. At the same time, the exhibition will also feature important reference works from ancient Egypt, examples of Greek vase painting and works from the Renaissance. Spanning two centuries, the presentation will show different artistic approaches to the subject, competing ideas of the ideal male model as well as changes in the concept of beauty, body image and values.

"Ferdinand Hodler: View to Infinity" will be the largest American exhibition ever devoted to this major Swiss artist. Hodler was admired by such Austrian artists as Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, whose work is essential to the Neue Galerie collection. The organizing curator for the Neue Galerie is Jill Lloyd, a distinguished scholar who has assembled several important shows for the museum, including "Van Gogh and Expressionism". The exhibition is co-organized by the Fondation Beyeler, Basel, where it will be on view from January 27 to May 26, 2013. The organizing curator for the Beyeler is Ulf Küster.

La exposición, que consta de 52 piezas originales de Antoni Samarra (33 óleos, 16 dibujos y 3 esculturas), conmemora la primera muestra de pintura celebrada en Canet de Mar, una exposición de obras de este artista que se inauguró el 21 de abril de 1912 (hace ahora 100 años) y que estuvo organizada por el Foment Catalanista, entonces propietario del edificio construido por Lluís Domènech i Montaner que actualmente es la Biblioteca P. Gual i Pujadas.

La exposición de 1912 fue solo de pinturas, aunque por aquel entonces Samarra trabajaba como escultor en el castillo de Santa Florentina de Canet.

Durante su estancia en Canet, el artista de Ponts estableció fuertes vínculos tanto con el pueblo como con Lluís Domènech i Montaner y participó activamente en todas las manifestaciones culturales del momento.

A pesar de estar muy bien considerado por la crítica como pintor y de apuntar un gran futuro como artista, Antoni Samarra se suicidó dos años más tarde en el castillo de Burriac del Maresme.

La muestra "Antoni Samarra, 100 años después" está organizada por el Ayuntamiento de Canet de Mar, el Ayuntamiento de Ponts, el Museo de Arte Jaume Morera (Ayuntamiento de Lérida), la Casa Museo Lluís Domènech i Montaner, con la colaboración de Jordi Vidal, conservador de arte y comisario de la exposición, y Vicente de la Fuente, historiador del arte.

Over 230 rare works by Mucha will be on view for the inaugural exhibition of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 14 July to 31 December 2012.

<em>Alphonse Mucha: Inspirations of Art Nouveau<em> will feature paintings, jewellery, sculptures and lithographs. Not since 1999 has an exhibit of this size and calibre appeared in the United States and it will be the first of its type to appear in the Midwest region.

"We have been working with the Mucha Foundation for more than a year to bring this stunning exhibit to the U.S. and we are particularly thrilled that it will be the inaugural exhibition for the opening of this national museum," said President/CEO Gail Naughton. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the lush beauty of Mucha´s flowing, elegant artwork, which is recognized by people all over the world."

The exhibition is divided into six sections and explores Mucha not just as the father of Art Nouveau, but also Mucha´s Moravian roots, his family, his photography and his devotion to the Slav people.

Since the introduction of photography in 1839, portraiture has been one of the most widely practiced forms of the medium. Starting in the early 20th century, however, some photographers began to question whether a single image could adequately capture the complexity of an individual. Arranged both chronologically and thematically, the exhibition features 153 works by 20 artists who photographed the same subjects--primarily friends, family, and themselves-over the course of days, months, or years to create some of the most provocative and revealing portraits of the past 100 years.

The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Trellis Fund

Art Nouveau: the First International Modern Style A broad look at the different Art Nouveau styles around the world, which explains how each region or city created its own style based on its local tradition, reinterpreting it through a cosmopolitan viewpoint. Delivered by Paul Greenhalgh, Professor of Modern Art at the University of East Anglia and Director of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts.

Conference in English, with simultaneous interpreting into Catalan and sign language.

19 November 2012, at 7 pm. Auditorium of La Pedrera, passeig de Gràcia, 92 (metro: Diagonal). Free entrance, booking not required. Limited seating.

At this event, the coupDefouet International Congress will also be introduced. This is a specialised congress on Modernisme-Art Nouveau to be held in Barcelona in June 2013. Organised by: Barcelona City Council and the University of Barcelona, with the collaboration of La Pedrera.

If you require the sign language interpreting service, you must notify La Pedrera of your attendance at: accessibilitat@catalunyacaixa.com